You Told Us: Get-Ready-For-Fall Cleaning Tips

Black clothes, vanilla essence and apple crates...just a few of the unexpected ideas for getting your home ready for fall.


It's almost that time again! Leaves change colors, sweaters come out of hiding and your home is begging for a good clean. We asked readers and friends to share their best cleaning and organizing ideas for fall. We've got a baker's dozen of our favorites.

1. Watch what you wear: "It sounds silly, but wear a dark color when you are cleaning your mirrors. Not only do you look chic and slimmer, but it's easier to see all the shmutz that's still left on the mirror." -Patrick J Hamilton, Ask Patrick

2. Make it sweeter: "Add a drop or two of a spicy or vanilla essential oil to your furniture polish, and the whole house will smell like a pie baking!" -Deb Kennedy, Retreat Style

3. Update with color: "I have two sets of bedroom items -- duvet, curtains, lampshades, artwork, rugs, pillows, accessories. For the fall, they are deep reds and oranges, while spring and summer bring blues and whites. When the new season rolls around, I pack these items into a plastic bin, bring out the other season's pieces and replace everything. It takes about an hour or so for a completely "new" room -- it's always so fun and refreshing to change everything out once a year!" -Kristin Tavrides, Bien Living Interior Design

4. Clear the house: "Kick the kids off to school, the husband off to camp and go crazy cleaning, organizing and throwing all their un-needed junk away!" -Melissa O'Brien

5. Consider Feng Shui: "Re-connect with earth by attending to indoor plants: Fertilize them after the draining energy of summer, trim off dead material and repot them or loosen up the dirt to give them some breathing room." -Ann Bingley Gallops, Open Spaces

6. Change the look: "Rearranging a room always leads to cleaning out and decluttering that room! You get a new room feel and it's clean. A win win!" -Julieann Covino, Create Girl

7. Incorporate fall items into your plan: "Get apple crates from the farmer's market to store summer shoes in. Stack them in the closet and voila!" -Gay Giordano, I Dreamed I Saw

8. Bring in a quick fix: "[Try] clear shoe boxes -- in the closets and out -- [for] shoes, belts, undies, crafts, kitchen stuff, etc. They tidy up stuff in a jiff! (I like these from The Container Store). -Lissa Lowe, Spruce Decor

9. If you can only do one thing: "Clear those cluttered counter tops! Clear and tidy kitchens look cleaner and will provide more space for holiday baking and cooking." - Lindsay Milner, A Design Story

10. Be ruthless while decluttering: "If you haven't worn it the last couple seasons -- donate it! Doing this helps me assess what I have and/or need." -Lee Harris Nicholson, Filmore Clark

11. We mean really ruthless..,: "Just because it is old, it doesn't mean it's a valuable antique. First ask family members if they want the piece and if it remains...throw it OUT!" -Karen Garrison

12. And if you really can't bear to part with something, re-use it! "I simply cut old clothes into squares and pop them onto my Swiffer stick. Attach the rag to the bottom and head into the dust. When the shirt has done its work, you can turn it inside out and use the other side. You can kiss those dust bunnies goodbye and throw those rags into the washer for many future uses!" -CasaSugar

13. When all else fails: "Have someone else do it for you :-)" -- Jayson Branham

Would you try any of these tips in your own home? What are you doing to prepare for fall? Leave us a comment of share your ideas on facebook or twitter!