Oh, how this season speaks to me! Crisp air. Brilliant blue skies. The colors of the leaves. The return of pumpkin spice everything, LOL. What’s  not to love, right?

The leaves. So. Many. Leaves. On the lawn. In the gutters. And having to put away your patio furniture…and your flip-flops. Although I, as a true Coloradan, will defiantly wear them even when the temps dip below freezing ;-).

In other words, fall is amazing…but we’d be wise to recognize it as a signal to start making the shift to winter. Experienced homeowners know what that means. But if you’re new to home ownership, you might find some tips helpful.

Smead Manufacturing Company is here to help us all make the transition. That’s right. The folks who make file folders and call themselves “a world-leading provider of solutions for efficient document management.” Sounds crazy, but Smead has published a Printable Fall Cleaning Checklist that turns out to be pretty darn comprehensive for fall home maintenance.

Click on the image to open the full-size PDF

If you ask me, the checklist might be a little TOO comprehensive. For instance, under Kitchen, it lists, “Sweep and wash floors.” I certainly hope you’re doing that more than just when fall rolls around! And under Bathrooms, every single thing *except* “Dispose of expired medications” is pretty much a weekly thing for most folks.

However, if you are new to home ownership, the checklist can be quite helpful. Here are 10 things I recommend:

1. Trimming back the bushes and trees (if needed)
2. Raking leaves (my personal favorite…just kidding!)
3. Cleaning and covering outdoor furniture
4. Having your furnace cleaned and inspected
5. Cleaning out gutters and downspouts
6. Tuning up (or buying) a snow blower
7. Getting your chimney swept (if you’re lucky enough to have a house with a wood-burning fireplace)
8. Caulking as needed around windows and doors
9. Checking the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarms
10. Checking and changing out filters (refrigerator, furnace if you’re not having it cleaned, and any other filters you may use)

All of these are good advice to protect your largest investment, and might be things you wouldn’t think to do otherwise.

I recommend also checking out my “Fall Home Maintenance Tips” blog post from last year for additional tips relating to:

• Doors and windows
• Plumbing
• Landscape
• Foundation and exterior
• And more

If you manage to complete EVERYTHING on the Smead list, I will be in awe of you. I’ll even buy you the biggest Pumpkin Spice Latte they make :-). (If you want a giggle about everyone losing their minds — pro or con — about pumpkin spice, check out this short video from Matthew Schueller.)

As always, we are grateful for your trust in us and for your referrals. If you — or people you know — are looking to buy or sell a home, I would love to help! Contact me here.