NAVIGATION
Why Declutter
How It’s Different
Tips For Fall Decluttering
Four Things To Declutter
Fall Cleaning ChecklistEveryone has heard of, and probably attempted, spring cleaning at some point in their life, but fall decluttering and cleaning can be just as important! Even the cleanest of homes can feel overwhelming and add stress to your day if they’re full of clutter, any time of the year.
Hi, I’m Ryan
As a dedicated minimalist living in a tiny home, I’ve had plenty of first-hand experience with decluttering. Fall is one of my favorite seasons to declutter as I get ready to spend more time indoors for the chilly fall and winter.
Why Declutter For Fall?
Fall is the perfect time of year to declutter for many reasons, but mostly because fall decluttering provides a smooth transition from one season to the next.
It’s easy to get caught up in seasonal summer fun, collecting souvenirs, leftover gear, and trinkets from warm-weather adventures and activities. Before you know it, the days grow shorter, school is in session, and you suddenly find yourself surrounded by unseasonal clutter.
A good fall decluttering session can help you say a respectful goodbye to the hot summer days and welcome the crisp, fall air with a peaceful mindset, making those little weekly and even daily cleaning chores a breeze.
How Is Fall Decluttering Different From Other Seasons?
With the warm weather that spring brings, it often prompts people to do a deep spring cleaning of their house, drawing them outside to scrub away the dirt and grime left behind by winter. But what about the other big transitional season, autumn?
With the cooler temperatures, along with the promise of holidays soon-to-arrive, I have found autumn to be the perfect time of year to do some fall decluttering.
As summer comes to a close, all beach toys, outdoor games, and other warm-weather accessories need to be put away or disposed of to make room for autumn and all that fall brings. And with Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, a fall clean out will create space for you to enjoy the holidays with your friends and family without worrying about how your house looks.
For me, fall means that it’s that time of year to bring out the heavier coats and boots, but I’m also spending more time indoors. This means that my house can quickly feel cluttered, even faster than in other months. Doing a thorough seasonal purge of unnecessary household items makes for smoother living and makes it easy to follow my minimalistic daily routines.
Tips For Fall Decluttering
Fall decluttering can make all the difference between a clean home that feels refreshed, relaxing, and ready for autumn and one that’s clean yet somehow still in disarray. If you’ve ever finished cleaning your house only to discover it still feels messy or cluttered, you’re not alone.
While I know tackling an entire house of stuff can seem daunting, here are some fall decluttering tips that I’ve found make the job seamless and simple.
Fall Cleaning Checklist
 Start In Small Sections
As you begin your autumn decluttering, don’t be afraid to break it into sections and tackle just one or two a day; you don’t have to clean your entire house all at once.
 Make A Checklist
I would suggest making a fall home cleaning checklist of all the things or areas in your house you need decluttered. This way, you have a plan in place ahead of time and you’re less likely to forget anything.
 Set A Timer
Another good motivator is to set yourself a timer. Once you decide your first assignment, put on some music, give yourself 15 minutes (set a timer on your phone), and jump in. Knowing you are under a time constraint will keep you focused while taking away the stress of being stuck doing one thing all afternoon.
Four Things to Declutter This Fall
Sometimes starting with specific jumping off points to begin the decluttering process can really get the ball rolling in the right direction. Small spaces followed by the garage, kitchen, and your wardrobe are simple, satisfying places to clear excess items and give yourself a more organized space.
Small Spaces And Junk Drawers
Clear out all of these spaces completely, wipe them down, and sort through their contents without mercy. The 20/20 rule or 90/90 rule can help you decide what stays and what goes.
Garage
Again, give yourself a time goal and begin to go through the items that tend to pile up from vacations, past sports, and holiday decorating. Getting some solid shelving and having designated places for everything you do need will help you feel organized once again. This way, you can easily access rakes, lawn bags, and other essential fall tools.
Kitchen
Again, you can divide up the kitchen into smaller sections if you’re feeling overwhelmed. Set yourself a timer and go through cabinets, the fridge, and all the other nooks and crannies that inevitably hide kitchen clutter. You can start by going around and throwing away any obvious trash or expired food items.
Wardrobe
As you transition from your summer wardrobe to your fall and winter one, make sure you add your closet to your fall home cleaning checklist.
I like to begin by creating different piles. Clothing to keep accessible, clothing to store for a warmer season, and clothing you no longer wear to either give or throw away. Then I go through my closet and sort everything into their respective piles and deal with them as necessary.
Fall Cleaning Checklist
Once you’ve tackled the daunting task of fall decluttering, it’s time to get down to the nitty gritty. That starts with a fall cleaning checklist. With all the excess items in your space either given away or tossed, you have space to do some actual cleaning.
I have compiled a fall deep cleaning checklist with different categories that I like to separate my house into so I can create a plan of action. Feel free to make your own fall clean-up checklist based on this one, and then shape it to fit your needs and lifestyle.
Fall Cleaning Checklist
- Wipe Down Surfaces
- Floors And Ceilings
- Outside Areas
- Closets
- Frequently Used Spaces
Wipe Down Surfaces
Like my decluttering plan, my cleaning strategy starts small and works up from there. I like to go around my house and dust and wipe off all surfaces that tend to gather dust, crumbs, and the inevitable stickiness. This would include handrails, countertops, faucets, and out-of-sight places like the tops of cabinets and fan blades.
Floors And Ceilings
Baseboards, ceilings, and windows are next on my fall cleaning list to tackle. Open windows and beach days bring lots of dust, dirt, and other earthy particles into these spaces, so that’s got to go.
Outside Areas
Finally, I go back outside to take care of a few curb appeal items. Getting the ladder out to clean the gutters, scrubbing all outdoor furniture, raking the leaves, and sweeping off the driveway are the perfect ways to bring fall cleaning and decluttering together. It leaves my house not only looking tidy but feeling clean and cozy once again and ready for fall.
Closets
No fall cleaning checklist is complete without a sweep of the closets. Remove everything from those storage spaces, wipe down shelves, and replace everything in an organized fashion. This part is a lot easier if you’ve already completed your decluttering, as you’ll have fewer items to sort through and reorganize.
Frequently Used Spaces
As the weather cools down, you might spend more time by the fire or snuggled up on the couch to binge your favorite show. Clean and sweep your fireplace and give the mantle some extra love. Wash any blankets, throw pillowcases, and furniture covers.
Wipe down and sanitize remotes, give phone chargers a cozy home, and lift and clean under sofas and other large furniture to get rid of lingering pollen, sand, and summery particles.
Fall Decluttering For The Win
Once you’ve made your space tidier and more spacious, you’ll be ready to embrace the fall weather, school schedules, upcoming holidays, and fun gatherings and activities that come along with this cool transitional season.
Your Turn!
- What kind of clutter are you ready to ditch during your fall declutter?
- Which spaces in your home could benefit most from a fall cleaning?
How is Autumn already here?! I love your ideas and cleaning tips. I know first on my list this fall is a fresh cabinet painting. That will work wonders for how the rest of our house feels. Thanks again for these great ideas!
Golly Ryan, I tried to stick with this… but for a minimalist, it doesn’t overflow into your writing.. I gotta unsubscribe, because it’s so laborious to read.
Broken down into too many subject headings. Keep subjects short and to the point.