Autumn is in the air. The days are getting shorter, the leaves are starting to turn red, gold and orange and the temperature is feeling a little cooler. It would be amazing if all you needed to prep your home for Autumn was to get our pumpkin spice candles out and watch spooky films, but it’s important to make sure your house is as ready for the changing seasons as you are.
You can keep on top of things with our home maintenance checklist.
Tackle irregular household chores & appliance maintenance
There are chores and tasks in every household that you only need to do once a year. Some of these may be on your weekly or monthly to-do list, while others may be on your seasonal to-do list. For example, you may need to organise and store your holiday decorations. Many of these tasks are things that you’ll need to do more than once a year. If you’re living in a house instead of a flat, you may have some extra random to-do items. Here’s our autumn to-do list:
- Dust and wash skirting boards
- Wipe light switches and doorknobs
- Rotate and/or flip the mattress
- Remove scuffs from walls
- Dust lampshades and light fixtures
- Wipe down doors and kitchen cabinet fronts
- Descale the shower and shower head
- Defrost freezer
- Deep clean oven
- Clean dishwasher filter, seals, and rims
- Clean out washing machine compartments, filter and dryer vents
Clean your carpets
Autumn is the perfect time to get your carpets cleaned. Summer’s humidity is gone, but winter’s below freezing temperatures have yet to set in. It’s the perfect time to open your windows for some fresh air, which should help your carpets dry faster. If you don’t feel comfortable using a carpet cleaner, hire a professional to take care of the heavy cleaning equipment. When your house is full of wet carpets, you’ll want to get outside and enjoy those lingering warm days.
Wash windows
Autumn is a perfect time to clean your windows too! Make sure you pick a day that not too sunny (or rainy, of course!). One of the best chemical free cleaning solutions we found is a combination of equal parts of warm water and white vinegar. Add a small squirt of dish-washing liquid into the spray bottle too to remove any wax or grease. And remember to use microfibre clothes instead of paper towels.
Switch your bedding
It’s time to switch out your light summer bedding for warmer winter ones. Do you have any bedding that needs to be taken to the dry cleaners? Is the bedding still in good condition? Wash the light summer bedding and store it away. Vacuum storage bags are a great way to store it as they save a lot of space. It’s also great for storing large pet beds and cushions, and toppers, as well as heavy winter clothing.
Swap out seasonal wardrobe
When you’re going through your wardrobe, make sure you don’t need to send any of your coats and jackets to the cleaners, and make sure your knitwear doesn’t have moths on it. The start of a new season also means it’s a great time to re-evaluate what you’ve got. Check if you need any new clothes, and make a shopping list if you need to buy new ones. Finally, make sure you’re getting the most out of your winter footwear by giving your boots and shoes a good clean and seeing if any of them need new soles.
Check your heaters
Before you hit the switch this season, make sure your heaters are clean and in working order. While your heater is off and cooling down, wipe off the surface of the grates with a microfiber or damp sponge. Compressed air can also help loosen dirt and dust from inside the grates. If you have underfloor heating, test it before cold weather settles in to make sure it’s all in working order.
Adjust the thermostat
When temperatures fall, adjust your programmable thermostat (or consider installing one if you don’t already have one) to help save energy and money. Setting your thermostat to a cooler temperature when you’re out of the house or sleeping, and to a warmer temperature when you’re home and awake, may help you save money on your heating bills, according to Energy.gov.
Check for draft
Gaps around windows, door frames and where pipes come into your home can allow cold air to enter and condensation to build up. It’s a good idea to seal leaks in windows and doors to keep the cold air out and the hot air in. One way to fix it is by rolling self-adhesive weather strips down the side of your window or door. A door sweep may also be installed to help prevent drafts from entering between the bottom of your door and your threshold. Tip: to check if there is a draft issue, hold a door or window closed on a piece of paper. The paper will slide easily if you have an issue.
Check smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors
It’s a good idea to test your smoke detector and carbon monoxide device once a year. Since you’ve already checked everything else, why not add this one to your checklist?