The Ultimate Fall Yard Clean-Up Checklist

With all the rain we’ve had in Minnesota lately, it might feel more like summer than fall. But don’t let the wet weather fool you—fall is here! It’s time to clean up the summer’s blooms and get the yard ready for winter. Here’s a fall cleaning checklist to get you through your fall clean-up chores before Ol’ Man Winter comes to visit.

Before You Start:

• check the last yard waste pick-up or drop-off dates in your city or county

Pick Up:

• dead or dying annual plants, including vegetables
• fallen leaves (or mulch to add nutrients into your soil)

Prepare:

• aerate the lawn
• fertilizer the lawn
• mow a final time down to 1 ¼ inches
• cut back perennials
• mulch young plants
• cover cold-sensitive plants
• plant bulbs
• plant new shrubs
• turn off the outdoor spigot

Put Away:

• patio furniture
• grill
• boats and other toys
• drained hose and irrigation tubing
• tender plants to winter in your home

Clean and Repair:

• trim and door paint
• caulking around windows and doors
• weatherstripping around doors
• gutters and downspouts
• chimney
• lawn mower
• yard and garden tools

Set Out:

• extra bird feeders
• snow blower
• snow shovels
• holiday lighting (it’s easier with it’s warmer and there’s no snow on the ground!)

All these clean-up tips count double when you’re selling your home. Don’t leave the fall clean-up chores for your buyers! For help buying or selling your home in the Rockford-Buffalo-Delano-St. Michael area, email Trent Shipley at Keller Williams Realty Integrity NW or call 612-310-4770 today.