Posted on by Carrie Levy

Your Guide to Fall Cleanup

Once your Fort Collins movers are finished delivering your things and all of the boxes are unpacked, it’s time to tackle yet another despised chore: fall cleanup of your new home. Even though you just spent all that time organizing and cleaning, you’re not done yet. (That is, unless the moving gods smiled down upon you and the tough stuff is already taken care of!)

You’ll want to be sure to do at least some of these items, if not all of them, to ensure you aren’t stuck with a bigger mess in the spring, or needing to do something that requires opening the windows. (You probably don’t want to be opening the windows during the winter anyway.) Here’s a guide to fall cleanup so that you’re ready for winter.

Outdoors

  • Inspect all exterior caulking and weather sealant around windows and doors so that you aren’t wasting precious heat all winter long, replacing anything that is missing or damaged. Your wallet will thank you!
  • Inspect and clean out the dryer exhaust pipe. The dryer air of the winter increases your fire risk, so it’s important you remove any clogs of lint and hair before it gets any colder. Be sure that there is some sort of door or vent cover (sold at your local hardware store) so that small animals don’t decide to make their home here over the winter! Your clothes probably won’t smell so clean afterwards.
  • Clean the leaves and debris out of all gutters and downspouts. If you don’t, you might find the melting snow that can’t escape will freeze and expand, damaging your gutters for good. Doing the work of cleaning out the gutters saves you money in the spring, when you don’t have to replace them!
  • Remove all garden hoses, turn off the water in the basement, and drain the spigot completely. Head to your local hardware store to pick up a special insulated cover to keep your pipes warm and happy.
  • Cover the outdoor furniture the Fort Collins movers left out back. Or, if you can, ask the Fort Collins movers to bring the outdoor furniture right into the basement to store it out of harms way all winter long.
  • Inspect all outdoor light fixtures, replacing bulbs that are dead and fixing any that don’t appear to work. Make sure they are clean and clear of debris.

Plants/Gardens

  • If you know a thing or two about plants, go through all gardens and remove annuals and weeds and cut back your perennials to prepare for the winter. If you don’t, you should take the time to learn about gardening during the winter so that come spring, you have a planting game plan!
  • Feed the soil now for optimum growing conditions next year. You don’t even have to buy anything – just cover the areas with leaves and grass clippings!
  • Rake the leaves around the property and dispose of them in lawn and leaf bags, or start a compost pile (after using some to mulch your gardens, of course!). You might not think this is important, but when the spring comes, those piles of leaves can hinder grass growth. Not to mention it’s easier to clean it up now while the ground is dry than in the muddy spring!
  • Plant your spring bulbs now.
  • Mow your lawn one last time, making sure to cut as close to the ground as you can.

Indoors

  • Be sure to call your local HVAC company for a thorough furnace cleaning. If you have forced hot air heating, get them to clean out the ducts as well. Change the air filter in your furnace – and if you remember, change it once a month throughout the winter months to keep everyone healthy.
  • Drain your water heater to ensure there is no sediment in the tank.
  • Head to your attic and look for any signs of a leaky roof so that you can fix it immediately before the spring thaw, when it is likely to damage your house.
  • Dust everything – light fixtures, chandeliers, ceiling fans, window blinds, door sills, etc.
  • Clean your oven (unless the previous owners did it for you, or if it’s new.)
  • Defrost the freezer and clean the fridge.
  • Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to be sure they work.

If you need some help with your move, call Exodus, your Denver moving company, to give you a hand. As a full service Denver moving company, we will make sure that your things get where they need to go quickly!