How To Do a Fall Deep Cleaning Before the Holidays

A bucket of cleaning supplies sits on a couch by a Christmas tree.

The holiday season is almost upon us! Before guests arrive and the hustle and bustle begin, now is the perfect time to give your home a thorough fall deep cleaning. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a holiday cleaning list with our top tips for keeping your home ready for the festivities.

What Is the Difference Between Deep Cleaning and Housekeeping?

Housekeeping focuses on maintaining the cleanliness and order of your home on a day-to-day basis. This includes tidying up, doing laundry, sweeping, and light dusting. It’s all about keeping your living spaces functional and presentable.

Deep cleaning, on the other hand, goes a step further by scrubbing, wiping, dusting, and vacuuming all the nooks and crannies that may have been overlooked for weeks or months. This type of cleaning is more about resetting your home’s cleanliness and organization. 

Fall is a great time to create new organization systems and establish a thorough cleaning checklist that can keep your home running efficiently all year long. 

Holiday Cleaning Before Thanksgiving

A festive Thanksgiving dinner table with turkey and guests.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, focus on key areas of your home that will see the most action. First and foremost, clean up dead leaves around your yard and roof. Piles of leaves make your home’s exterior look messy, and leaf-clogged gutters can lead to water damage, ice buildup, and other costly issues. When you clear out the gutters, safely use a ladder and a pair of gloves to remove debris.

Next, turn your attention to the kitchen. This space is about to see heavy use as holiday meals come into full swing, so it’s important to tackle some deep cleaning tasks here. Start by pulling out your refrigerator and other large appliances to clean behind them.

Cleaning behind your fridge also gives you the chance to check for any appliance issues. Scrape and scrub your stovetop, paying special attention to the burners. For gas ranges, remove the grates and scrub them to prevent grease buildup, while electric stoves require a good wipe-down to prevent any fire hazards.

Deep Cleaning Tips for Food Storage in Your Kitchen

Your cabinet space is another area to organize as you clean. Go through your pantry and remove any expired spices, canned goods, or other ingredients that may have been sitting around for too long. In addition to making room for all your holiday cooking supplies, organizing your cabinet keeps your kitchen functional and clutter-free.

We recommend using a rotating spice holder to organize your spices efficiently, so everything is within reach when you’re in the middle of holiday meal prep.

How To Deep Clean Your Patio and Outdoor Spaces for Winter

A man pressure washes his porch awning while wearing a protective blue jacket.

While the weather is still relatively mild, deep clean up your outdoor spaces. In addition to tidying up for company, deep cleaning your patio or deck also makes them easier to maintain when spring returns.

Start by sweeping away any lingering leaves, dirt, or debris from your patio or deck. If you have dirt deep between paved brick walkways or on your porch awning, consider using a power washer to save time and energy. You should also give your outdoor furniture a good wipe-down and, if necessary, store it in a garage, shed, or climate-controlled storage unit to shield it from snow and ice.

Renting a storage unit also opens up the opportunity to clean and store any seasonal items, such as gardening tools or summer decorations to keep your home or garage free of clutter during the winter.

Add Self Storage To Your Holiday Cleaning List With Freedom Storage Management

When you’re deep cleaning for the holidays, you may find you have more belongings than places to keep them. Instead of throwing away or donating things you still need, like summer clothing or decorations, consider self storage.

Our self storage unit options are great for keeping your home organized and clutter-free this fall and throughout the year. Tuck your pool toys, lawn chairs, and all your other summer gear away so it’ll be ready for use next year while bringing out the snowblower and holiday decorations to be ready for the season ahead. By cycling your belongings in and out of your storage unit, you can keep your home ready for friends and family no matter the occasion. 
Find a Freedom Storage-managed facility near you to rent a convenient, affordable storage unit today!

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