Crisp cool air makes me want to toss open the windows, clear out the clutter, and cozy up my home to welcome fall and any guests that may stop in. Spread a little of the fall spirit around and touch on all the main living spaces in your house, cleaning, organizing, and refreshing areas.
Most of these tasks can be done in 15 minutes or less but can have a huge impact on your home.
Take it one small task at a time throughout the year with our series and you can tackle it all easily! We want to help you clean and organize your home the way that works best for you!
Most tasks should take 15 – 30 minutes. If it works for you do each task on the corresponding date, if not just use it as a list of tasks, some days you may get more than one done. You may wish to take off the weekend and double up on weekdays or vice versa. I want you to be successful so do what works best for you. We only gave you 27 tasks this month so you can catch up if need be.
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Savvy Cleaning and Organizing- September Tasks
1. Open the windows – Open the ones you can and air out the house for a few hours. If it is already brisk and makes the house too chilly keep it to a minimum time.
2. Wash and pile cozy blankets around – Scatter thick winter weight throws around, on the couch, in baskets, at the foot of the beds to create a warm and inviting.
4. Dust ac/heat vents- Dust each vent well, use a dryer sheet to help repel future dust. Change out the filters as necessary.
5. Wipe down walls in main living areas- As you pass through each room tidying, etc. wipe down walls with a dust repelling cloth- the living room, dining room, kitchen.
6. Clean carpets – Clean them yourself or have carpets cleaned professionally to get rid of summer messes and prep for holiday entertaining. We have a carpet cleaner similar to this one and it is amazing how much dirt comes out of the carpets.
7. Have chimney flues swept out- Hire a professional to clean out the chimney flues, give the hearth a good scrubbing to get it ready for those cozy nights by the fire.
8. Check weather stripping around windows and doors- Do a quick walk around and inspect the stripping/caulking inside and out on all the windows.
9. Have heat/ac serviced- Have your furnace inspected for functionality and efficiency to make sure that it is running in top shape and also keeping your costs down.
10. Bring out cold weather bedding – Unpack your flannel sheets and thicker quilts to help combat the fall chill. Air them out or wash to freshen them up from storage.
One trick for not getting overwhelmed is to break down big tasks into smaller more manageable jobs, things like the refrigerator don’t have to be tackled all in one day, but if you do get it all done put your feet up and relax the next few days!
11. Wipe down the refrigerator shelves – Attack them with hot water, a rag, and a good antibacterial cleaner.
12. Purge condiments – Toss out expired or empty bottles, wipe down shelves in the refrigerator door.
13. Clean out freezer – Toss freezer burnt packages, defrost and rearrange items if needed.
14. Wash out crisper drawer in fridge- Remove from fridge, fill with water and a capful of bleach, leave 10 minutes, rinse, dry, and line with cling wrap for easy cleanup.
15. Gather 10 items to purge in donation box or bag- After 9 months of doing this it may be harder and harder to find things to donate but if you dig around a little bit I know you can find some items that are cluttering up your life but might be needed by someone else!
16. Finish putting away outdoor gear- Kids summer toys, tiki torchs, and anything else that was still out to enjoy summer as long as you could.
17. Wash outdoor cushions, store for the fall- If you live in a harsh weather environment you may want to get cushions and some furniture like wicker pieces out of the elements by storing them in the shed to extend their life.
18. Wash the pet bedding, blankets, stuffed toys- As fall sets in your pet will be getting a thicker coat and shedding the old one. Freshen up their bedding and purge toys to help them get ready for cool weather too.
19. Wash stored winter outerwear- Remove items like coats, scarves, sweaters, and hoodies from storage and wash the ones you can, dry-clean the rest to freshen them.
20. Put remaining summer clothes into storage bins – Give yourself room in the closet and drawers for flannels and bulky sweaters by clearing out capris and tanks. Launder, fold, and store in plastic totes with secure lids, consider mothballs if winged pests are sometimes a problem.
21. Remove the last of the summer decorations from the porch- Toss out the dead flowers in the window box, put away summer wreaths and treat yourself to a new welcome mat or uncarved pumpkin.
22. Spray oven with cleaner- Soak it well with oven cleaner spray, let it sit overnight, and wipe well in the morning. Can’t you almost taste that pumpkin pie baking?
23. Check outdoor lighting- Before you know it trick or treaters will be tapping on your door, and s’mores will be toasting around the firepit. Take a few minutes to check and replace bulbs, dust outdoor lighting fixtures.
24. Clean and refill bird feeders- Welcome your feathered friends by laying out a tasty buffet for when the food is scarce, Store extra feed in airtight container.
25. Wipe down the exterior of washer and dryer – While you are freshening up all those fall items give your hard working washer and dryer a good wipe down on the outside from top to bottom, be sure to get build up around the knobs.
26. Wash throw rugs – Then dry/air them outdoors to bring some fresh air in, add a new fall colored rug or two to bring the colors in and set the mood.
27. Copy summer photos to a disk or external drive- Don’t let those sunny memories fade, copy all the photos on your camera or computer to a disk or external drive then delete from memory cards and computer, giving yourself plenty of space for adorable fall photos. If you have Amazon prime, you can backup all your photos to the cloud for free.
Once you are done with the pictures why not make a photo book highlighting your summer memories. I love Shutterfly for photobooks. Plus this is another spot for photo backups.
Hopefully by tackling a few things each day through out the month. It will help make your home run more smoothly. It is amazing how just 15 minutes a day can make a HUGE impact! Don’t forget to sign up and we will email you free tasks lists for each month.
Be sure to check out more great info here to help with daily cleaning
Simple Steps to Help Keep Your House Clean
Routines to Help you Get Your Home Organized
Get Organized with a Nightime Routine
Clean & Organize 2018
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Jean L Kronzer says
where is the printable link? I’ve never had an issue printing these before. Love them by the way!
Melissa says
I sent you an email with the printable.