Home Improvement Ideas leading into Fall Season. From servicing your AC & heating unit, cleaning out gutters, weatherproofing your home, decluttering and home decorating.
The leaves changing to warm shades of red and orange signals that fall is finally here. It’s time to break out your fuzzy sweaters, curl up with your favorite novel, and sip pumpkin-flavored everything.
Before you unwind and enjoy all the things the season has to offer, you should first prepare your home. By adding these five tasks to your seasonal checklist, you can keep your home protected, clean, and cozy.
Service Your HVAC Systems
Servicing your HVAC systems can often go overlooked when you’re preparing for the fall season. Too few homeowners schedule routine maintenance for their ac and heating unit. If your home is cool in the summer and warm in the winter, you may think your systems are fine. However, this isn’t always the case, and while your systems may seem healthy, you could be risking costly repairs. Being proactive in treating your HVAC systems with the same care that you would your vehicle has several benefits.
Picture this: You wake up on the first really cold morning of fall and discover your furnace has quit working. As you try to figure out when your units were last serviced, you realize it’s been over a year. Now, you’re stuck with a hefty repair bill — one that might easily have been avoided by scheduling routine preventative maintenance. By servicing your HVAC units twice a year, you can prevent unexpected breakdowns and improve your system’s efficiency. You’ll avoid both exorbitant repair costs and sky-high utility bills.
Clean Out Gutters
As you’re scheduling routine maintenance for your heating and cooling units, head outside and clean up your gutters. While this is another often-forgotten chore, dirty gutters can cause major harm to your home. Clean gutters help redirect rainwater away from your house, protect your walls, and keep water out of your basement. If any one of these things doesn’t happen because your gutters have been neglected, it can lead to expensive repairs.
Not only can dirty gutters damage your home and foundation, but they also invite pests and mold into your space. If you’re on a budget, don’t fret — you don’t have to hire a professional to complete this chore. To safely clean your gutters, all you need is a sturdy ladder, a scoop, a bucket, and gloves. It may not be the most fun way to spend an hour or two, but your home — and pocketbook — will thank you.
Weatherproof Your Home
There are several simple steps you can take by yourself to prepare your home for the change of weather. As the leaves begin to change colors and the weather gets colder, you should start bundling up your house. Weatherproofing your home helps reduce cold air coming in from outdoors, increasing your comfort and lowering your energy costs.
One of the easiest ways to protect your home from the brisk winds is to seal leaks around your windows and doors. To find these leaks, simply move a lit candle around your window and door frames. If your candle flickers, then these fixtures have a leak. You can seal them by applying a bit of caulk or weatherstripping.
Declutter Your Spaces
Decluttering and deep cleaning aren’t just for spring. Organizing and tidying up your space can actually be a form of self-care. A cluttered space can negatively affect your productivity and bring on feelings of stress and anxiety.
As you’re preparing for fall, take some time to clean up those spaces you’ve been neglecting. If you don’t know where to start, try tackling your bedroom closet first. This is the perfect time to assess your closet’s contents. Determine what you wear the most, what you can donate, and what you can move to storage until next summer.
Your closets aren’t the only spaces that deserve attention. While you’re decluttering your spaces, clean out your refrigerator, too. Take an inventory of your condiments and throw out rotten leftovers and spoiled produce. Once you’ve tossed your expired goods, scrub your fridge’s shelves and drawers until they sparkle. A decluttered refrigerator allows more airflow to move throughout the appliance, so your food can stay fresh for longer.
Decorate for the Season
Let’s face it, cleaning and decluttering can be boring and exhausting. Celebrate all of the progress you’ve made preparing for fall by decorating your house for the season. Dressing up your home allows you to flex your creative muscles, and it can even brighten your mood.
Fortunately, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars to decorate for fall. Replacing your doormat with a pumpkin-themed one and arranging gourds on your mantelpiece are seasonal enhancements that can instantly transform your space. Placing branches of bright foliage in a vase lets you bring fall’s beauty indoors without spending a dime.
If the thought of decorating your entire home is overwhelming, consider going room by room in just the public areas. You can also incorporate fall-themed DIY projects into your house-primping plans for budget-friendly and one-of-a-kind decor. Such projects are a great way to relax and learn new skills.
Falling in Love With Fall
There are so many reasons to embrace autumn, from the cooler weather to the stunning color on the trees. Don’t let your love of fall be tainted by costly home improvement repairs. By taking time to check off these maintenance tasks, you can enjoy the coziness of the season without worry.
