With a new season upon us, it’s time for a new beginning as you prepare your home for the cozy months ahead. Bonus? You can take this opportunity to make your home more environmentally friendly as well with a few simple steps. The sooner you get to your fall cleaning checklist, the more you can look forward to curling up on the couch or in front of the fire in your favorite Pima cotton pajamas (also known as the cashmere of cotton!) Keep reading for an eco-friendly fall cleaning checklist that includes ways you can save energy, cut down on single-use plastics, and more.
Do an outdoor inspection
As the weather gets milder, head outdoors to give your home’s exterior a visual inspection (we won’t tell anyone if you do this while still in your pajamas!) Clean and scrub your outdoor furniture. Prepare to winterize your garden beds and store your lawn equipment and potting tools.
There’s a couple of ways to make this chore pay dividends with the energy efficiency of your home, too. Notice any broken seals or damaged caulk? Get those fixed to save on your energy bills. Do your gutters need clearing out? Getting rid of leaves and pine needles that pile up will prevent roof rot and leaks (although you may have to clean them out a few times during the fall!) No yard to maintain? Give your windows a good wash to enjoy the sight of the golden autumn light and colorful leaves!
To congratulate yourself for a job well done, buy some mums and pumpkins for your front porch or hang a new autumn-themed wreath. You deserve a few pretty touches!
Clean out the kitchen
Can’t wait to dig in to those delicious and hearty autumn meals? Us either! But first things first: time to clean out your pantry. Toss expired spices and canned goods while making a list of essentials for all your holiday baking projects. Check your freezer and make plans to use up any stored food so you can make room for those Thanksgiving leftovers.
While you’re at it, peek under the sink for your single-use plastic cleaning items and consider switching to environmentally friendly cleaners like the refillable and toxin-free formulas at Branch Basics the next time you run out. You can also use common household items to get your home sparkling clean season after season.
To start with, clean out your stovetop and oven: all you need is some baking soda, white vinegar and a few dish towels. For the stovetop, spray with white vinegar, sprinkle baking soda over it, then cover with a towel wrung out with warm water — any dried-on mess should lift right off. For inside your oven, make a thick paste of baking soda and water and leave on overnight before scrubbing down. With your oven racks sparkling clean, we can almost smell the pumpkin and apple pies baking away.
Spruce up your bedroom (and wardrobe!)
Remove dirt and air toxins before preparing to spend more time indoors during the cooler winter months by spot-cleaning and vacuuming your window treatments and drapes. Before getting out your warm winter duvet out of storage, make sure you flip and rotate your mattress so it gets even wear, and spritz it with a homemade linen spray made from essential oils like lavender.
Take a look at your closet. Anything hanging in there you haven’t worn in the past two years? Time to share the love (and the duds) by repairing, donating or recycling garments you no longer have use for. Once the temperatures have dropped and it’s time to hang up your wool coats, put away your spring sundresses properly to avoid wrinkles and mildew. Wash, dry and fold your warm weather clothes before storing them away in cool, dry place until next year.
When it comes to both your bedding and your wardrobe, look at the labels to ensure your fabric choices are as eco-friendly as they can be. Did you know our Pima cotton is GOTS certified? That makes them a good choice year-round!
Spring cleaning may get all the attention, yet fall is just as good of a time to give your home a good going over — while taking small steps toward sustainability that add up to a big impact for the planet.
What fall cleaning tips do you turn to year after year? Let us know in the comments on our Instagram @leenaandlu or hello@leenaandlu.co.
