Before October Gets Busy: 7 Things Worth Doing Around the House Now

# Before October Gets Busy: 7 Things Worth Doing Around the House Now

There is something about October that makes the calendar fill up almost overnight.

School activities, football, Halloween plans, fall events, family get-togethers, and then suddenly everyone starts talking about the holidays.

So before September officially wraps up, this is a good time to give the house a quick reset.

Not a renovation.

Not an all-day deep clean.

Just a few small things that can make the next month feel a little easier.

Here are seven places I’d start.

1. Clear the area that collects everything

Every house has one.

The kitchen counter.

The entry table.

The mudroom.

The chair where bags, jackets, papers, and random things somehow end up.

Before October gets busy, take 15 minutes and clear it.

Put things where they actually belong, throw away what you no longer need, and leave a little breathing room.

It sounds small, but removing visual clutter from one high-traffic area can make the whole house feel calmer.

2. Check your outdoor lighting

As the days start getting shorter, outdoor lighting becomes more noticeable.

Walk around the house after dark and make sure porch lights, pathway lights, garage lights, and backyard lighting are working properly.

Replace any burned-out bulbs and check fixtures that may have shifted or stopped working.

This is especially helpful if you’ll have guests, trick-or-treaters, or more evenings outside as the weather cools down.

3. Give the patio a reset

By the end of a Texas summer, patios and outdoor spaces usually need a little attention.

Wipe down furniture.

Clear away anything that has accumulated.

Wash cushions if needed.

Clean around the grill or outdoor kitchen.

If you have a pool, tidy up the surrounding area too.

Once the weather finally gets more comfortable, you’ll be glad the space is ready to use.

4. Find the holiday storage before you need it

This may sound premature, but future you will appreciate it.

If your Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas decorations are buried behind six boxes in the garage, now is a good time to figure out where everything is.

You do not have to decorate yet.

Just make sure you can actually get to the things you’ll want over the next few months.

While you’re there, it may be a good opportunity to get rid of decorations you no longer use.

5. Start a donation pile

Fall is a great time to clear out things that have been taking up space.

Clothes that no longer fit.

Kids’ items they have outgrown.

Home decor you haven’t used in years.

Extra kitchen items.

Things sitting in the garage “just in case.”

Put one box somewhere easy to access and add to it throughout the week.

Once it is full, donate it.

Simple.

6. Check your guest spaces

If you tend to have family or friends visit during the fall or holidays, take a quick look at the spaces they’ll use.

Guest room.

Guest bathroom.

Extra linens.

Towels.

Closet space.

You do not need to prepare everything months in advance.

Just make note of anything that needs replacing, cleaning, or fixing so it does not become a last-minute job later.

7. Tackle one thing you’ve been avoiding

Not seven things.

Just one.

Maybe it is hanging the picture that has been sitting against the wall.

Organizing one cabinet.

Touching up paint.

Fixing a loose handle.

Cleaning out a closet.

Finishing something that has been 90% done for three months.

Pick one and finish it.

Sometimes checking off one lingering project feels better than starting five new ones.

The goal is to make October easier

You do not need a perfectly organized house before a new month starts.

The goal is simply to remove a few small annoyances before life gets busier.

An hour here.

Twenty minutes there.

One drawer, one patio, one unfinished project.

That is usually enough to make home feel a little more under control.

And once October arrives, you can spend more time actually enjoying it.

— Ellen