Fall officially arrived yesterday morning. That means I’m thinking about the things I have to do to prepare for winter.
Most of my fall to-do list is the usual maintenance things. I’m not adding any big tasks or special projects. My priorities for the last few months have been the coop and the barn cleanout, and I really want to continue with them. If I can wrap them up by the end of the year, I will be very happy.
But along with the coop and the cleanout, there are a few things I have to do. Sharing them here is a good way to get them out of my head and hold myself accountable.
Put away outdoor furniture – Warm weather is hanging around, and Ellie and I had breakfast, lunch, dinner and Monopoly outside over the weekend. We’ll max out the patio as long as we can, but if someone shows up who can give me a lift our big table is going into the barn. (Friends and family are used to being recruited to help with various tasks when they come to visit.)
Clean eavestroughs – I clean the gutters several times a year due to the number of trees around our house. Once the leaves are off the trees, I will do it again.
Pump out septic tank – We have the septic pumped every 2-3 years. It’s been 3 years since our last pump out, so it’s time to have it done again.
Sweep the chimney – Never mind. I did this on the weekend.
Clean heat pump filter – Like most HVAC, our heat pump is happier with a clean filter. I like to power wash it twice a year to make sure it’s really clean and then I’ll vacuum it through the winter. The power washing should happen before I turn on the heat–and before I turn off the outdoor water.
Turn off outdoor water – Turn off the water, drain the pipes, put the hoses away.
Mulch brush – I’ll be putting our chipper to work again to clean up two brush piles so that they don’t become multi-year mountains, like we’ve had in the past.
Little tasks (including one already done), but they are all important and they all take time. I will be tackling each of these throughout the next few months, and hopefully by the time colder temperatures arrive we’ll be ready to light the fire and relax (a bit) in our cozy house.
Home on 129 Acres 
Hi Julia,
I like your style of thinking in making a list of jobs to be done and be accountable for.
I was going back and forth yesterday afternoon whether to plant the 16 garlic bulbs or wait until the weather has cooled off a bit more. In the end I planted the garlic to have it checked off my ‘do to’ fall list. I figured a week neither here nor there shouldn’t make much difference in next year’s harvest. I hope so anyway.
I’ve been taught don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today and I guess it stuck.
You have reminded me of other jobs that need doing in putting away garden furniture/area mats, draining the garden hose and putting it away, turn off outside water and clean HVAC filter is on my list of ‘to do’ jobs. I did put away a few deck decor items but I’m hanging onto the idea there is still more good weather to come in being outdoors to enjoy the last of the garden. I will over winter two hibiscus in large planters and two mandavilla in large deck boxes too. An insecticide spraying on the hibiscus should ensure no unwanted pests come into the house. They all look really beautiful right now and I don’t want to cut anything back just yet. The mandavilla will be cut back to a few inches and kept in the garage. Last year one plant survived the other did not. I will make sure to keep them both closer to the house this year to see if both plants might survive. I like the challenge in trying and it is nice to not have to buy and replant.
We are like you and Ellie in enjoying our meals outdoors and will continue to do so as long as possible.
Enjoy the remainder of the nice fall days and keep checking those ‘to do’ items as ‘done’ off your list.
Pam
The “don’t put off” mantra is a good one. It (might) save us from running around like crazy people at the end of the season trying to get everything done and not forget anything.
That’s what led to my chimney sweeping on the weekend. I had a spare half hour and thought, let’s do this now!
That’s the spirit. Love it !
Sent from my iPad
I’ve been too busy with getting my piano groups off the ground to deal with many fall tasks. I did sell our mattress and boxspring today, thank goodness! Now we will be able to put away the lawnmower and such in the shed – the mattress and boxspring were taking up all the room!
When I have a big project, like you do with your piano groups, I try to keep that in mind and not add a lot of other tasks to my to-do list. Hence my plan to stick with the essentials, so I can keep going on the coop and the barn cleanout. You’ve managed to fit in a cleanout of your own. That’s satisfying. And having your piano groups up and running will be a huge reward.