End of Summer Cleaning Checklist

For me, there is something so lovely about the end of summer and those first signs of autumn. It makes me reevaluate my year and take stock of what has already happened and what we have planned. I find myself full of optimism and motivation for the last bit of the year and believe that there is no better time to have a really good clean/clear out and get my house ready for those colder, cosier months.

I know that it can feel daunting and you may not know where to start but I’m here to tell you that it can be done and it can give you that little boost you need to get your year back on track. I’ve put together a list of things that may be overlooked in the weekly cleans and I’ve organised them room by room to make to feel more manageable. You don’t have to do all these in one day, instead, pick one thing a week to focus on and you’ll have your house autumn ready in no time.

I also wanted to include some of my favourite cleaning products in this post, items that I could honestly recommend. I recently have been trying to make more environmentally friendly choices when it comes to the way I am living and consuming. A few months ago I found the company Splosh and got myself a few items to try out. Whilst they aren’t completely plastic-free they do offer a lifetime guarantee on your bottle. The idea is that your first order includes your bottles and from then on when they need refilling you just order the concentrated solution to fill them up. The refills come in pouches which can then be sent back to Splosh to be reused again!

The products themselves are cruelty-free and vegan and pride themselves on using natural ingredients that are kind to your home and the environment. After using these products to clean my home for some time now I highly recommend giving them a go! Splosh has kindly offered our readers a discount code for your first order – details can be found at the bottom of the post. It’s time sensitive so act quick!

Living room

Give your upholstery (like sofa covers and cushion covers) a wash and any fillings that are appropriate.
Whilst you are removing your sofa covers and cushions get hoovering into those cracks where all sorts of dirt and coins tend to gather.
Swap out your summer cushions for more autumnal ones – you could save yourself a step next time and clean them ready to get out next season if you store them well.
Empty all bookshelves and shelving units giving them a good clean. You can use this time to sort through any books to see if you really need to hold onto them or if you could donate any.

Kitchen

empty out all cupboards/drawers and give them a good wipe down and sort – also a good opportunity to sort through that pantry and donate things that you are not going to use.
give the inside of your fridge/freezer good clean and empty out.
give your appliances some TLC – descale your kettle, buy a cleaning treatment for the washing machine and get that oven sparkling for all those winter roasts!
have a declutter of old mugs, plates and other utensils that are broken or beyond saving.

Bathrooms

loan or borrow a steam cleaner and clean any floor tiles or shower tiles – get in between that grouting!
sort through your medicine cupboard, expired medicine isn’t good for anything! It’s also a good idea to make a list of any essentials that you may be missing and have a restock.
organise your linen cupboard – wash any towels that may have been hiding in the back.
clean the mirrors (one that always gets neglected in my house).

Bedroom

Time to swab out those thinner summer duvets and bring out the heavier tog duvet ready for those colder nights. Now is a good time to give your summer duvets a wash ready to bring out next season.
Give your wardrobe a clear out and pack away all those summer clothes. Unpack your winter clothes and have a sort through – this is a great opportunity to see if there are any items missing that you are going to need for the season.
Flip your mattress round to make sure that it lasts for as long as possible and feels like new again.
Pull out everything from underneath the bed and have a good clear out. Make sure you’re only putting back things that you actually need to store.

I hope you find this guide helpful and it makes the task of the autumn clean manageable and something you feel like you want to include in your household. Splosh have very kindly given our readers a code to get some money off your first order – just enter TH487 at checkout to get £3 off*.

Let me know if you end up giving any of the products a try and what you make of them!

*minimum spend is £15. cannot be used with any other offers. code valid until 31/12/2018.