August Homeowner's Checklist
It may still be summer, but with fall right around the corner, here’s some exciting news: it’s almost spooky season. If you’re as excited about caramel apples and skeletons on neighbors’ porches as we are, you’ll be dying to get a jump start on getting your home ready for the fall.
But before you can put up your motion-activated Halloween decorations, you’ve got to put summer behind you (and in your closet. And in your garage).
Here are 8 tasks you should put on your August checklist as a homeowner to make sure you’re ready for spooky season.
1. Clean And Store Your Summer Gear...And Clothes
Once you’ve shut up your beach house for the summer and dragged your family and your beach gear back to reality, it’s time to de-sand everything.
You don’t want to get ready for next year’s first beach trip and find towels and shorts that still have sand in them (yuck!)
Be sure to wash everything from your clothes to your beach buckets and sand castle molds so they’re ready to store and not attract pests.
Here are some things that should be put away by the end of August:
- Boogie boards
- Beach buckets
- Folding chairs
- Beach towels
- Bathing suits
- Shorts
- Life vests
- Pool inflatables
2. Replace Your Air Conditioning Filter
Are you ready to turn off your air conditioning and watch your utility bills go back down? Then make sure to replace your air conditioning filters at the end of the season.
The air filters on your AC system need to be replaced every 1-3 months if you want to keep your home clean and keep air flowing freely.
Cleaning an air filter is pretty simple and just requires you to dust the filter and scrub it with soap and water.
3. Set Up A Family Calendar for the School Year
Keep track of your family’s appointments, after-school activities, and weekend sports games with a paper or digital calendar.
It’ll be an adjustment getting everyone back to school after the summer, so it’s important to stay on top of your family’s schedule.
Figure out what method works best for your family and start writing down important dates now.
4. Deep Clean Your Carpets & Floors
Make sure to get all that mud, sand, and dirt from summer activities off your floors before the fall season.
In addition to vacuuming your carpets and mopping your floors, you can hire professional cleaning services to get the tougher grime out.
5. Check Your Emergency Kits
Are your emergency kits up to date with your family’s medication? Have you cleared out any expired foods or medicines?
August weather can mean anything from hurricanes to tornadoes depending on where you live. Make sure your emergency kits are well-stocked and you have what you need for any weather event.
6. Organize Your Summer Clothes
Before switching out clothes for the next season, organize your summer items. Do you have any clothes that aren’t fitting right or have stains you can’t get out? Don’t hang on to items for next season that you know you won’t wear.
Knowing what you have for the summer season at the end of the season rather than the beginning will enable you to shop smart and not panic when summer comes around again and you don’t have the right clothes.
7. Finish Up Your Outdoor Tasks
Restaining your porch or replacing your roof? Make sure all those intensive outdoor tasks are finished before the weather gets colder and the nights get longer.
Clean any outdoor spaces made of stone since those areas can easily accumulate dust and grime throughout the season. Clear your walkways and clean any grime build up.
8. Prune Bushes and Plants
It’s important to trim and clear any dead branches or limbs from your plants because those can freeze and break in the winter and be dangerous. August is the perfect time to snip off overhanging branches that could be hazardous in later seasons.
Pruning any bushes and shrubs will also help get your yard ready for spring when your grass and plants will start growing again.
9. Get Organized for Back to School (Or Work)
If you ended the last school year with a lot of snapped pencils and crayons or composition books with covers ripped off, make sure to stock up on all the supplies your children will need for a successful school year.
Just got back from vacation? Check that you have everything you need to go back to work and write down any important dates or meetings happening so you don’t forget and feel flustered. Check your fall work wardrobe to see if it needs a refresh for the season and make a list of any clothing items you need.
Are You Ready for August?
Your home will be 100% ready for fall once you’re done with the tasks on our August homeowner’s checklist. Start the season off right by making sure your home is ready for the next season and for summers to come.
Ready to get started? Submit your email below to get a downloadable copy of this checklist.