Freshening Up For Fall
It's officially fall, the season that I associate with gatherings and food! Whether I am planning on having guests for football, a dinner party, or want to host friends last minute for cocktails; having our home ready makes entertaining a breeze. I want to share a few cleaning and organization tips so you can enjoy a clean home and remove the stress of entertaining.
Pantry Inventory: Take everything out of your pantry, vacuum up any crumbs, and wipe down any containers/bins. Check dates on all your items, toss anything that is expired, donate anything that you don't think you will use, and make a grocery list of ingredients that you would like to have on hand.
Fridge: Empty out the fridge, start with an empty cooler to place items that must stay cold (i.e. meats and dairy products), toss anything that is expired, and write down what items will need to be replaced. Wipe down the inside of the fridge with your preferred cleaner, and pull out any shelves or drawers that need to be washed. When washing tempered glass, be sure to use lukewarm water instead of hot because the temperature difference may result in damage. Once you have clean, dry shelves and drawers, you can start putting your items back in the fridge. I recommend placing items label forward to make it easy to identify. With the fridge cleaned, you can now do the same with the freezer. I recommend placing a box of baking soda in the back of the fridge and freezer to absorb odors.
Microwave: Wipe up with a damp rag to grab the loose crumbs. Fill a microwave-safe bowl or cup halfway with water, add about two tablespoons of baking soda. If you do not have baking soda, add a squeeze of lemon to the water. Both will help with deodorizing. Place the bowl/cup in the microwave for three minutes. Adjust time based on your microwave's power. Remove the bowl/cup and use the steam to make wiping down the grime inside an easy task.
Having a multi-purpose spray that smells lovely is the best way to give the kitchen and bathroom countertops a quick refresh. My favorite multi-purpose spray is by Caldrea (the Tangelo Palm Frond and Gilded Balsam Birch scents are my go-to). They have other scents and products that can be purchased at Grove Collaborative or on Amazon. A year round scent that I love is the Capri Blue’s Volcano multi-purpose spray, also available on Amazon.
Fresh Air: Freshen up your home by opening windows on cool mornings and turning on ceiling fans to help with air flow. Also, remember to regularly change out your AC air filter. Before vacuuming, empty out your vacuum and sprinkle in laundry scent beads. This leaves behind a nice, fresh scent as you vacuum.
Guest spaces: Keep fresh linens in the guest bedroom. I like to keep a set of bath towels, hand towels, wash cloths, sheets, and a warm blanket in the room so guests have access to whatever they may need. I recommend having a bin/basket that has extra toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, floss, shower caps, bodywash, shampoo, conditioner, make-up remover wipes, band-aids, cotton swabs, and a hair dryer. You can store this bin/ basket in the guest bedroom or guest bathroom. Have the wifi printed or written down and framed for ease of use.
Have disinfecting wipes, extra toilet paper, and facial tissue in the bathrooms. Always have hand lotion, hand soap, and a room spray on the counter of the bathroom.
Outdoor Space: Clean and prep your outdoor space. Remove any standing water, dead plants, and unsightly debris. Toss the grill cover in the wash or hose it off. Wipe down the grill, clean grates with a stainless steel cleaning brush to remove caked-on grease, and lastly, go over the grates with a Scrub Daddy sponge. Trust me, it works!
If you have outdoor furniture or rugs that need to be cleaned, I recommend using 30 SECONDS Multi-Surface Outdoor Cleaner, which can be found at Home Depot or Lowes. It will remove grime, algae, mildew, and mold from a variety of surfaces. It's safe around plants and landscaping. If your item/area is in bad shape, let the cleaner set for 10 mins then hose it off with the high pressure setting on your hose nozzle.
Once you have everything clean and dry, protect your outdoor upholstery with Outdoor Scotchgard. I would recommend re-applying every 3 or 4 month to make sure you keep the upholstery clean and vibrant.
Protect yourself and guests against mosquitoes. I recommend the Thermacell E55 Rechargeable Mosquito Repeller or the Thermacell Patio Shield Mosquito Repeller. These devices create a protection zone of 15 - 20 feet. It works extremely well, and you don’t have to spray yourself or guests with repellant.
I hope these tips help you maintain a fresh home this fall.