It is almost time to start preparing your home for the winter season. Use this Winter Cleaning Checklist to keep you organized as your tackle your winter prep.
As we bid summer farewell, it is time to begin prepping for winter. Now is the perfect time to get your home and yard in order before the cold weather hits and the holidays quickly approach.
Winter Cleaning Checklist
Here is a printable winter cleaning list to help you prepare your home, both indoors and outdoors, for the upcoming winter.
Clean Out the Pantry
Now is the time you will likely be stocking up on canned and boxed foods, to help you get through the winter. You never know when you will be stuck at home and you do not want to get stuck munching on outdated staples. Pull out each item from the pantry and donate items you do not intend to use and toss anything that is outdated or faulty. Be
sure to wipe down the shelves of any dust or crumbs that may attract insects before replacing the food that you are keeping.
Pull Out Cold Weather Clothing
If you live in a place where the temperatures drop considerably in the winter time, be sure to pull out your cold weather clothing before the temperature drops. Give everything a fresh wash, and start adding them back into your dresser and closet, as you slowly put away your warm weather clothes and sandals.
Go through your summer clothes and sort by what needs to be tossed, what can be donated, and what you will store to wear again next year. Be sure to safely store summer clothes in sealed containers. You may want to use this natural moth repellent to deter moths from making holes in your summer clothes.
Pull out Winter Bedding
Wash your flannel sheets and extra blankets and put them on the beds. Wash your summer linens, including the beach towels and pack them away in airtight containers until next spring.
Wash Windows
Washing windows is never a fun job, however, washing them in the winter is even more unenjoyable. This chore should be near the top of your list, as you do not want to be stuck looking out filthy windows, all winter long, that you never had time to wash. Wash both the inside and outside of your windows, clean your blinds, and clean your window screens.
Prep Heater and Fans
Replace the filters in your heater. Dust off your ceiling fan blades. Then reverse the blades for winter. If you have a fireplace, be sure to clean it out before you light your first fire. Here are tips for Cleaning Your Fireplace.
Tend to Gutters and Downspouts
Twigs, leave, and other debris that hangs out in your gutters can prevent your gutters from working as they should. Before the winter hits, you want to make sure that your gutters are all cleaned out. Do not forget to make sure all of the downspouts are connected as they should be, to help direct excess water away from your home.
Outdoor Furniture and Toys
The days of enjoying a nice meal outside, under the patio umbrella, and lounging in your favorite hammock or lounge chair are quickly coming to an end. Be sure to hose off all of your outdoor furniture as well as the kids’ outdoor toys, and let it air dry at the end of the season. Store furniture or at least the cushions to keep them from fading. Also, be sure to store these items in sealed containers to keep the mice from biting through cushions, in search of a warm cozy home.
Printable Winter Cleaning Checklist
Click here or on the image below to print out a copy of the Winter Cleaning Checklist.
Prepping for winter cleaning can seem like a never-ending task. However, when it’s broken down, the tasks seem manageable. How do you prep for your winter cleaning?
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Pre-Holiday Cleaning Checklist
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Gina says
There are a few things on this list I need to make time for. The pantry is overdue and the fan blades seem to have magnets for dust. I hope to get to these this month