The foliage is falling, the farmer’s markets are bustling as well as the cozy comforts of home beckon – it has to be October. Make the most of this month’s bountiful harvest, get some exercise raking leaves while in the brisk air and button down your home when preparing for winter. Then sit back, relax and warm your hands around a mug of hot apple cider. Fall is here.
Your October Home Checklist
1. Rake leaves. To help make quicker work of collecting leaves from your large lawn, rake the fallen foliage onto a large plastic tarp. Then bag it or add it to your compost pile.
2. Trim dead tree limbs. Dead limbs are more likely to fall during winter storms, causing them to be a possible safety hazard. Have an arborist inspect and trim large trees.
3. If you haven’t already, clean gutters and downspouts. Hold off until the majority of the leaves have fallen to plan a rain gutter cleaning. Inspect gutters and downspouts for cracks and loose parts and then make repairs as needed.
4. Neaten up the mudroom. The back-to-school (and work) flurry can leave the mudroom looking as if a hurricane hit it. Take a moment to regain sanity – go through papers and put away stray summer items and extra coats. Clean the floors and invest in a new doormat when necessary. Keep a recycling basket near the entrance to help make sorting mail and school papers easier, and dedicate a tote or bin for things that have to be returned (like library books).
5. Keep seasonal decorating low-key with natural finds. Pumpkins and gourds, fresh heirloom apples, quinces, pomegranates, figs and fall foliage all make wonderfully simple decor.
Bring in cut branches from the yard, drop by a pick-your-own farm or scoop up fall’s bounty at a farm stand.
6. Maintain your wood stove or fireplace. If you have a fireplace or wood stove, it’s essential for safety that you have it serviced before lighting the first fire of the year. In case you haven’t done this already, schedule an appointment to have your chimney inspected and, if needed, cleaned.
7. Check safety devices. Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors inside your home and replace batteries as needed. Check the expiration date on the kitchen fire extinguisher and replace it if needed.
8. Begin a gift list. It may seem like the holidays are a considerable ways off – but that’s why it pays to start getting organized now. Start a list of everyone you intend to give gifts to this year. Then, as ideas strike, jot them down on your list. Additionally you can use your list to help keep track of a holiday gifting budget. And if you would like to make any gifts by hand, October is an excellent time for you to begin – handmade gifts always find a way to take longer to make than expected.
9. Cover or store outdoor furniture and grills. If you are planning to leave your patio furniture or grill outside through the fall and winter, cover them well and stow them beneath an overhang that will protect them from rain and snow. Although you may live in a mild climate, covering your grill between uses is a good idea to protect the finish.
10. Turn off exterior faucets and store hoses for winter. Disconnect, drain and roll hoses before storing them for the winter. Turn off the water supply to exterior faucets in order to avoid frozen pipes.
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