Hi Reader!

Fall is officially here, which means there are leaves to rake, cooler nights ahead—and a few things around the house that are worth taking care of before winter arrives.

Your October Home Maintenance & Safety Checklist is ready! This month's list includes six simple jobs to help you take care of your home now—and start getting it ready for winter. Download it here: October Checklist.pdf

Print it, put it somewhere you'll see it, and work your way through it this month.

This month we're tackling a mix of those easy-to-forget indoor maintenance jobs and the outdoor projects that are much easier to do now than when it's 30 degrees outside.

On the October checklist:

🧯 Inspect your fire extinguisher
Take a minute to make sure your fire extinguisher is accessible and ready if you ever need it. Be sure to check the manufacture or expiration date.

🍋 Clean the garbage disposal
A quick kitchen maintenance task that's easy to forget—and a good opportunity to give your disposal a fresh start.

🍳 Clean the range hood filter
Grease builds up on these filters over time. Give yours a good degreasing soak, rinse it and let it dry completely before reinstalling.

🚿 Clean tub and sink drains
Check the drains in your sinks, showers and bathtubs and clear out any buildup before it turns into a clog.

🏡 Check your fence
Look for broken pickets, peeling paint and small repairs you can make now before winter weather makes them worse.

🍂 And, yes...deal with the leaves.
Besides cleaning up the yard, remember that leaves can collect on the roof and in the gutters, too.

this HOUSE | your HOME

October's bigger project: Winterize Your Home

You'll notice a winterizing reminder on this month's checklist, too.

October is a great time to start preparing your house for winter—while we still have some nice days to get outside and do it!

That means things like:

• Turning off outdoor faucets
• Winterizing your sprinkler system
• Draining and storing outdoor hoses
• Checking caulk and weatherstripping around doors and windows
• Preparing your air conditioner for winter

I have an entire Winterize Your Home guide that goes beyond this month's checklist and walks you through the things to consider both inside and outside your home.

→ READ: WINTERIZE YOUR HOME

Do a little now and you'll be very happy with yourself when that first freezing day arrives.

Want an easier way to keep track of all of this?

This is exactly why I created my Deluxe Home Maintenance Log Book.

It combines monthly and seasonal maintenance checklists with 10 years of logs for keeping track of the work you've done around your home.

Because remembering to clean something is helpful. Remembering when you last cleaned it, repaired it or replaced it is even better.

→ SHOP THE DELUXE HOME MAINTENANCE LOG BOOK

ICYMI - in case you missed it

I've also been busy creating...

There are several new things in the shops!

🏠 For new homeowners: My First 30 Days in Your New Home Planner helps make those first few overwhelming weeks of homeownership a little more manageable.

🔑 For Realtors & lenders: I've added branded Home Maintenance and First 30 Days planners that can be customized with your business branding and given to clients as a useful closing gift.

📚 And over at Write It Down Society: I've been having a LOT of fun creating new journals—including new designs for readers, teachers, nurses and new parents.

So whether you're taking care of your house, settling into a new one, helping someone else become a homeowner—or just need somewhere to write down your thoughts—I've probably been working on something for you. 😊

That's it for October!

Grab your checklist, pick a couple of things to tackle this weekend, and enjoy those beautiful fall days while they're here.

Autumn Happy Feels,