6 Places You Need to Declutter This Fall (Before It Gets Too Cold!)

As the seasons shift, it’s a natural time to declutter your home. When summer temps begin to chill, you may feel the itch to purge and start fresh. I like to think that a fall declutter is essential — especially as the weather stays nice.

Once winter comes around, decluttering your outdoor spaces and taking trips to the thrift store become a little less appealing. The busyness of the holidays on top of the winter chill can also contribute to the charm of a thorough fall decluttering. Ready to get started, but aren’t sure where to begin? Here are six spots to declutter before the cold sets in.

Naturally, decluttering your outdoor spaces while the weather isn’t freezing yet is ideal. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

• Clean and store patio furniture. You may continue to dine al fresco through October while the weather stays temperate. You don’t want to miss out on fall morning coffee on the patio! But cleaning and storing your outdoor furniture is a job to do before it’s too cold out. If you’re not storing your furniture, be sure to cover everything to protect your pieces from the winter elements.
• Declutter garden and outdoor tools. If you spent your summer gardening, the fall is a great time to check in on all of your tools. What did you use or not use this past season? Are there items you can let go of? Be sure to toss anything that’s broken, and consider donating any tools that you aren’t using anymore. 
• Declutter outdoor storage areas. Consider going through your shed or garage and tossing or donating anything that you never used this summer. A good declutter may also make sifting through holiday decorations a little easier with less stuff around. 

Our closets shift with the seasons. Be sure to check in on all of the closets in your home, including coat closets, to prepare yourself and your family for colder weather. 

• Transition your clothing from summer to fall. Now’s the time to tuck away your summer clothing and reach for the sweaters and outerwear. It’s another ideal time to notice which items of clothing you didn’t end up wearing this past season, and consider donating them. 
• Don’t forget the coat closet. Do a quick check-in on all of your coats and winter accessories before it gets too chilly. Do all of your coats still fit? Do you need hats, gloves, or scarves? Make a list of all the items you may need, and consider donating coats and jackets your kids may have outgrown.

A good, thorough pantry clean-out is incredibly satisfying. Especially as you head into a new season, preparing your kitchen for fall and winter food can be especially exciting. 

• Toss expired food. The easiest way to make room in your pantry is to throw away the food that’s no longer good anymore. Also if there’s food tucked away that no one eats, it’s OK to toss those items as well. 
• Declutter tools and appliances. If you keep anything other than food in your pantry, be sure to declutter those items as well. I know I store a few kitchen appliances in the pantry and will reshuffle the way I organize everything to prep for winter. My slow cooker, for example, will move from the top shelf to eye level in anticipation of fall and winter soups and stews.

Our living rooms can take a beating after the summer season. Revive your space by tidying and decluttering in preparation for fall, and the upcoming holiday season as well. 

• Declutter living room items. The items in your living room can accumulate over time, so use the fall season to let go of items you no longer use, or simply reorganize and move items to other spots in your home. Be on the lookout for unnecessary cords, stacks of paper, excess pillows and blankets, pet accessories, and children’s toys. 

Refreshing your nightstand is a great way to welcome in a new season. Before switching over your lightweight sheets for heavier ones, declutter your whole bedroom to make it feel like a fresh start. 

• Declutter bedside tables. You should only have nighttime essentials on your nightstand. The items will be unique to you, but aim to have only three to five items on the surface of your bedside table. Anything else can be moved or tossed. 
• Declutter bedding. You probably don’t store bedding in your bedroom, but I consider this part of your bedroom declutter, as you will no doubt be switching over your sheets. Do you have bedding that has gotten dingy? Perhaps a sheet set hasn’t been used in a long time? Consider recycling or donating excessive sheet sets and bedding.

If you went on summer road trips and adventures, your car may need a good decluttering.

• Clean up from summer travels. Toss trash, vacuum up crumbs (or sand from the beach!), wipe down hard surfaces, and be sure the essentials are in place. This includes your car’s registration, an emergency kit, and any personal items you need like sunglasses or phone chargers.

Ready to start decluttering right now? Sign up for Apartment Therapy’s Decluttering Cure, a free 14-day program that’ll help you achieve a tidier home in just two weeks.