August 3rd, 2021 by Sarah Miles

The change of seasons always brings a new set of tasks to attend to, and that’s certainly true of autumn. As much of a bind as you may think that is, just remember that all these jobs will reward you in the months to come over autumn and winter in terms of preventing issues later or just making you feel better for having done them.

1. Get decorating jobs done

Autumn is a great time to get those decorating jobs done around the house that you’ve been too busy to do over the summer. There’s still a decent amount of daylight left before the clocks go back which makes jobs like painting easier. It’s much easier to see true colours and monitor where you’ve painted in natural daylight rather than artificial lighting and you still have a few hours of light left in the evenings after you’ve got home from work. If you have any big projects you want to do, getting on with them now means you will have them finished in plenty of time for the run-up to Christmas, which can reduce a bit of stress!

2. Clean up garden furniture and put it away

Garden furniture can last a really long time if it is cared for properly, and that includes protecting it from the harsh weather conditions of the winter by storing it under cover – ideally in a garage or shed. Before you put it away, give it all a good clean and repair any signs of damage (eg chips or scratches in metal furniture or cracks in wood). Wash any cushion covers where possible. Not only does this freshen them up after a summer of using the garden a lot; you will thank yourself for it when you get it out again in the spring. Even if your garage is watertight, it’s best to cover it with plastic sheeting or a dust sheet as this will protect it from dust and cobwebs.

If you don’t have anywhere to store it, get a good furniture cover, and make sure it’s wrapped up tight.

3. Get your boiler serviced

You may not have given your boiler a second thought over the summer when you have not needed the heating, but you will be reliant on it very soon. That’s why late summer/early autumn is the perfect time to have it serviced, ready for the forthcoming winter period. Did you know that heating engineers get more callouts when the temperature starts to drop than at any other time of the year? That’s because people are turning their heating on again and finding that there is a problem they weren’t aware of. Getting your service done in early autumn identifies any issues before this happens and ensures your boiler is good to go as soon as you’re ready to heat your home again. You will also find that your plumber will have more availability at this time of year before their schedules go crazy.

4. Check external plumbing

Winter brings with it freezing weather as well as rain and snow and that can add up to frozen pipes and blocked drains. Now’s the time to take preventative measures to minimise any issues you may encounter. That includes lagging any external pipes, including your boiler condensate pipe (if this freezes up it can cause your boiler to breakdown), checking that drains are clear and that you have drain covers in place where possible, and that there are no cracks or other damage to pipes or guttering.

5. Clear out your clothes

As the weather starts to turn cooler, you’ll no doubt start thinking about getting some warmer clothes out. It’s a good idea to only keep the clothes you need for the current season in your wardrobes and drawers because it saves you having to search through clothes you can’t wear anyway, plus overcrowded wardrobes provide clothes moths with the perfect breeding environment. Wash anything that has been worn (moths also love any sweat or oils from your skin on clothes) and put all your summer clothes away elsewhere (e.g. the loft or the spare room) but be ruthless and get rid of anything you haven’t worn or doesn’t fit (donate them to charity or sell them). Purging your wardrobe periodically like this can be really satisfying and is much better than just moving them around every season and never wearing them. Plus, you may make a few pounds!