Fall Cleaning : 5 Tips For A Fresh Home

It would seem that most of us become restless in those early months before summer and give our homes a good spring clean but I thought I'd share today just how important a good fall clean is too. While our windows are open during the warmer months, I find the wind carries dirt to settle onto surfaces all over my home. There's something that feels welcoming and cozy about delving into a thorough autumn cleaning before we settle into the winter months and longer hours curled up inside. Once Halloween and Remembrance Day are over I seem to jump right into baking and holiday prep so doing that thorough cleaning before hand just means that cleaning afterwards is more of a weekly maintenance thing and my home is more apt to be ready for the season's visitors.
In the cooler months I like to use Pine-Sol's lavender scent. It's inevitable that anytime someone comes over they comment on how amazing my home smells, and I do find it does a great job removing any dirt or grime.

In order to tackle my fall cleaning this year I made a detailed list and started early one morning. I got out my step stool and wiped down the tops of all the window frames in my home as well as all of the door frames. I also gave the window sills and screens a thorough wash as well as the grooves that are exposed when the windows are open. This means I'll be sealing them up fresh and clean for the winter before I open them again in the spring. This is undoubtedly better for the life of the seals as well.

I focused on giving all the baseboards and walls an extra intense wipe down and believe it our not, I also wiped down the ceilings in the bathrooms and the kitchen. This took a little extra elbow grease but it's incredible the difference it made.
If you're expecting guests over the holidays... it may seem like it's awhile off but cleaning the guest room while you tackle the rest of your home will mean that it'll likely only need a dust, fresh bedding and some personal touches once the time comes.
One last tip, and this is a true story from my sweet mom who's a real estate agent in Ontario.... She had a client who's home smelled so amazing and inviting that everyone who came through her open house commented. Her client's secret was that she poured a little bit of Pine-Sol in lavender scent down each sink and bathtub/shower drain in her home. My mom and I both do the same now. I find it to be the nicest touch, especially in the kitchen.

Cleaning Checklist:

1. Wipe ceilings where necessary, tops of window or door frames, walls/doors, switch plates and then baseboards in that order so any dust falls to the floor as you go.
2. Wash and rinse windows, screens, sills and grooves.
3. Clear out your pantry or cabinets. Dispose of anything that's expired and wipe down interior shelves. This will also help to inform you of items that may need replacing for the winter months.
4. Clean your fridge thoroughly, wiping down interior walls and soaking bins and shelves.
5. With a damp rag wipe down any exterior furniture, accessories, candle holders, lanterns, etc before storing for the winter months.

This post was sponsored by Pine-Sol. All styling, advice and opinions are my own.