Fall Checklist

Does the Season Call for Special Fix-Its, Maintenance or Repairs?

Lists, lists and more lists! This time for the Fall Season. It seems to go with the theme mentioned in our opening segment of projects, projects and more projects. It’s the very reason we have been encouraging you to make to-do lists since it’s challenging to keep track of it all. Along with the great Fall Checklist below, be sure to see the simple suggestion I shared in my weekly newsletter.

Staying on top of daily, monthly, and annual chores around your home is a big job. Maintenance and repair jobs are constants. To save time and money, plan for the seasonal needs of your home, yard, and garden.Here is a Early Fall checklist for all those early autumn tasks that sometimes get forgotten…

Summer is winding down and the yard starts looking a little spent, the kids are back in school, and it’s time to make sure that your home is ready for the winter. We will have more ideas to share as fall continues and winter moves in!

• Drain hot water heater. Flush and refill.
• Change the furnace filter.
• Wash out garbage cans, disinfect, then rinse thoroughly.
• We are heading into the great Indian Summertime, so take advantage of a few last barbecues before the weather changes. Then clean, repair, and store patio furniture.
• Plant late autumn vegetables like cabbage, peas, spinach, and Swiss chard.
  
• Divide perennials, iris, and bulbs.
• Seed lawn if your yard has patchy spots. Fertilizing now also encourages good root development.
• Before it gets cold, have an automatic irrigation system installed. (Scheduling is easier with less competition than in the spring and summer.)
• Wander through your home and make sure that all heat vents are clear. Stuff gets moved during the summer and often vents get blocked, especially in homes without central air conditioning.
• Install a programmable thermostat if you don’t already have one. This can save you a ton of money, especially if you program it so temperatures are lower at night. Buy a new sweater and resist the temptation to turn the heat up.
• Have your backup heat source serviced. Wood stoves and pellet stoves should be checked to make sure they are in good condition and ready for another year of service. Buy wood or pellets now, to beat the winter rush!
• Have your chimney cleaned, especially if you use a wood stove or fireplace a lot during the cold season.
• Weatherize your home. Use caulk, weatherstripping, and check for new, inexpensive ways to reduce heat loss.
• Do your “spring” cleaning now before the chilly weather sets in and enjoy a clean house for the holidays.

Order seed catalogs for winter reading!

You may have other tasks that you do seasonally, but this list should give you a leg up on the myriad tasks that need to be accomplished before Old Man Winter starts breathing down your neck. Once these chores are done, you can enjoy a well-deserved rest with a good cup of coffee and enjoy the wonders of your seed catalogs and plot landscape and exterior improvements for next spring. Or you can get busy tackling those indoor projects, as the weather becomes less pleasant, and you are more home-bound!