For a lot of people, autumn is like the start of a new year—it’s when the temperature shifts and everyone starts to return to their daily routine after summer holiday. It’s been a long summer—so it’s time to clean up the house for fall. That’s what makes the idea of doing a little spring cleaning in autumn so great, you can make it springtime anytime! An autumn decluttering project is a perfect way to give the whole family a fresh start to the season. Article Source

Throw Out Junk This Fall

If you’re ready to get that fresh feeling by getting rid of the clutter in your home, we’ve got you covered. Follow these essential autumn decluttering tips to get your house ready for the season.

1. Do a deep clean of your living space
   Take advantage of the milder weather and do a deep clean before the chilly days set in. If you’ve had your windows open all summer long, you’ll want to dust all your furniture, blinds, and windowsills to get them nice and clean for the season. Vacuum all your carpets, rugs, and upholstery, and sweep under all your furniture to get the dust and dirt out of all those dark corners.

As you’re cleaning, consider getting rid of some household items you don’t use anymore that seem to only collect dust. If you have too many kick-knacks on the coffee table or your cabinets are overflowing with miscellaneous items, get rid of them so you can fully relax in your space.

2. Do the closet swap
   As soon as you feel that familiar fall chill in the air, it’s time to put away all your summer gear and make room for those cozy sweaters! Go through all your summer pieces and set aside anything you didn’t really end up wearing, and plan to donate them or give them to friends.

Before you pack away all your summer clothes, make sure you wash and dry them first. Once they’re all clean, make sure you keep them safe by storing them in vacuum storage bags, or in sturdy sealed plastic bins. Moths love to nibble on fabrics in the colder months, and storing your clothes properly will protect them.

3. Freshen up your outdoor space
   Before it gets too cold, make sure to prepare your outside space! Clean the patio furniture you’ve used heavily over the summer and get rid of anything that is broken or that you don’t need anymore. This is also a great opportunity to stay on top of your yard work. Prune any hedges or trees that are overgrown and rake leaves as they start to fall, before they decompose. Bay Hauling can help you with the removal of yard debris, Call us today!
4. Clean the exterior of your home
   As the seasons change you need to make sure that your home is functioning as it should! Check out your gutters and see if they need to be cleaned, it’s much easier to clear them out early instead of realizing that water is overflowing later on. You should also make sure that your home isn’t letting any drafts in. Check that all your windows and doors are sealed properly to avoid cold air sneaking in. If you find any gaps you can fill them in with caulking or weatherstrips.

It’s also a great time to wash your windows, both inside and outside. Dirty windows let less light in, which can really have an impact on your mood and energy levels when those gray winter days set in. Make sure you get into the nooks and crannies of your windows too, to avoid any mold and mildew from forming during the colder months.

5. Clear out your storage areas
   Remember all that fun outdoor stuff you bought at the beginning of the season? Now it’s time to put it all away until next year. First, you’ll need to make room for all those pool noodles, floaties, beach gear, backyard games, etc. If you have the time, it’s best to pull everything out. This way, you can organize everything as you’re putting it back. Try to keep like items together, creating a separate section just for your summer gear. (This will make it much easier to find it all next summer, and will prevent you from buying new items that you already own!) As you work through, set aside any items you don’t really need to hang onto and get them ready for donation or disposal.
6. Clear out your garage It’s pretty common to cringe when you consider cleaning the garage. For lots of folks, the condition of the garage is a guilty secret. If space in its dark expanse is getting so tight that the car won’t even fit inside anymore, it’s time to get that clutter under control. This can be a big job if you haven’t done it in a while, so start with some preliminary recon. Take an inventory of what your garage contains and how you’d like to organize the space. Make a list of things you’re planning to pitch. Move from there to stuff you want to give away, like old toys or that exercise equipment that you never use. Your third list should include items that you plan on keeping, but start to see them in relation to the space. Begin at the car entry door and work back. Keep the most useful items, like tools, in front. Anything you won’t use for six months or more can be positioned toward the back. Make some notes on the list to remind you of where put what. If you know that you still have lots more stuff than your garage can comfortably accommodate, try considering a few creative storage alternatives, like wall shelves or overhead bins. Storage doesn’t have to be expensive, and getting things up off the ground will liberate a surprising amount of space. Camping gear, sports equipment, pool toys and some larger tools can be affixed to the wall or placed on a high shelf to make getting around easier and less hazardous. Once you have a plan, pull everything out of the garage into your three piles, sweep or go over the floor with a wet-dry vacuum, and install any shelving or bins. Now, you’re ready to start putting away the things you plan on keeping. This chore alone could easily take a weekend, but after that, maintaining a clear and useful garage space will be easy.
7. Get that junk out of your way
   Once you’ve sorted through all your closets and storage spaces, it’s time to get rid of all your unwanted junk. You can check with local charities to see if they accept donations, but keep in mind that you will likely have to drop it off on your own and there’s a chance they might not accept all your items. Have junk laying around? Bay Hauling will take care of many items for you, check out the list of items we take.