Fall is one of my favourite times of year to start making the house feel a little more cozy. The weather starts to cool down, the days get shorter, and before you know it, we are spending more time indoors.

For me, fall cleaning isn’t about doing one huge clean from top to bottom. As a busy single mum, finding a large block of time to clean the entire house just isn’t realistic.

Instead, I prefer to break everything down into smaller jobs.

I might spend 20 or 30 minutes doing one task, then leave the rest for another day. This makes the whole process feel much more manageable and means I don’t end up overwhelmed by a huge list of things that need to be done.

Here is how I approach my fall cleaning routine and some of the things I like to tackle as the seasons change.

Why I Like to Do a Fall Clean

I actually clean throughout the year, so my fall cleaning isn’t about suddenly cleaning everything that hasn’t been touched since spring.

Instead, I see it as a chance to look around the house and think about what needs a little extra attention before we settle into the colder months.

The outside cleaning usually starts towards the end of September for me. Inside the house, I focus more on decluttering, seasonal changes and those areas that start to show more wear as we spend more time indoors.

It is also a nice opportunity to make the home feel more comfortable and cozy for fall.

And you don’t have to do everything at once.

Start With Small Cleaning Tasks

This is probably the biggest thing I would recommend to another busy single mum.

Don’t look at your entire house and think, “I need to fall clean.”

That can immediately make the job feel overwhelming.

Instead, break it down.

Give yourself 20 to 30 minutes and choose one small task.

You could:

  • Clean one bathroom
  • Dust the fans
  • Clean an extractor
  • Go through one drawer
  • Declutter some clothes
  • Wipe down a doorway
  • Clean out part of the fridge
  • Defrost the freezer
  • Put away summer clothes
  • Organize one small area

Once that task is finished, you can stop.

There is no rule saying that your entire house needs to be finished in one day.

For me, smaller jobs are much easier to fit around everyday life.

Focus on the Doorways

One area I notice more during the fall is the doorways.

Once the weather changes, there is more foot traffic coming in and out of the house. Between shoes, boots and everything that comes along with them, these areas can quickly need some extra attention.

I don’t necessarily do anything dramatically different from my normal cleaning routine, but I pay more attention to these areas as the seasons change.

Keeping the entrances clean can make the rest of the house feel cleaner too.

It is one of those small jobs that doesn’t take very long but can make a noticeable difference.

Declutter Your Clothes

One of the biggest parts of my fall cleaning routine is going through clothes.

As the seasons change, I like to look at what we actually have and decide what still needs to stay.

I don’t follow a complicated decluttering system. I simply go through everything and decide what we are still using and what we no longer need.

If something hasn’t been worn, doesn’t fit or simply isn’t needed anymore, it is worth considering whether it needs to stay.

This doesn’t have to become a huge project either.

You can go through one section of your wardrobe at a time rather than pulling every piece of clothing out at once.

Store Your Summer Clothes

Once I’m finished going through my summer clothes, I vacuum seal them before putting them away.

This helps keep everything stored neatly until we need them again.

I don’t try to switch my entire wardrobe over in one afternoon. Again, it is much easier to make the seasonal change when you break it into smaller jobs.

Rotate Your Child’s Clothes

For my daughter, I don’t really have a separate summer-to-fall wardrobe system.

We simply rotate her clothes as the seasons change.

As she grows, this is also a good opportunity to notice what still fits and what she has outgrown.

Children’s clothes can be especially easy to accumulate, so taking a little time to go through them can prevent drawers and closets from becoming too full.

You don’t have to make this complicated.

Just go through what you have and keep what you are actually going to use.

Give the Fridge a Little Attention

The fridge isn’t necessarily something I specifically clean because it is fall, but I do like to make a plan to go through it.

I’ll look at items that have been sitting there for a while and think about whether we are actually going to use them.

It is a simple way to rotate things and avoid having food sitting in the fridge that we have completely forgotten about.

You don’t have to take everything out and deep clean your fridge every time.

Even spending 20 minutes checking through the shelves can make a difference.

Don’t Forget the Freezer

The freezer is another area I like to give some attention to.

For me, this mainly means defrosting it when it needs to be done.

It isn’t an exciting cleaning job, but it is one of those things that is much easier to tackle when you break it down and plan for it rather than waiting until it becomes a much bigger job.

If your freezer needs defrosting, put it on your list and get it done when you have the time.

Then you can forget about it for a while.

Clean the Fans

As we move away from summer, I also like to clean the fans.

They have usually had plenty of use during the warmer months, so fall is a good time to give them some attention before they get put away or used less frequently.

This is another quick job that can easily fit into a 20 or 30-minute cleaning session.

You don’t need to create an entire cleaning day around it.

Give the Extractor Some Attention

The extractor is another area that can benefit from a little extra attention.

I don’t have a completely different bathroom cleaning routine for fall. I still clean the bathroom as I normally would.

However, depending on what needs doing, the extractor is something I may add to my list.

These are the types of jobs that are easy to forget because they aren’t part of our everyday cleaning routine.

Adding them to a seasonal list helps make sure they don’t get missed.

Your Bedroom Doesn’t Need a Completely New Routine

Bedrooms are another area where I don’t change my cleaning routine dramatically just because fall arrives.

The one job I don’t particularly enjoy is cleaning beds.

It’s one of those tasks that can feel like more effort than it should, especially when you’re already busy.

But it still needs to be done.

Rather than thinking about cleaning every bedroom in the house at once, make it another small task on your list.

Put fresh bedding on, clean what needs cleaning and move on.

You don’t need to spend hours making the bedroom perfect.

Make Your Home Feel Cozier

Fall cleaning isn’t only about making the house clean.

For me, it is also about making the home feel comfortable as the seasons change.

Once the weather starts getting cooler, we naturally spend more time inside. Having a home that feels clean, organized and comfortable makes that transition much nicer.

You don’t necessarily need to buy lots of new things to make your home feel cozy.

Sometimes it is simply about putting away the things that remind you of summer, getting your fall clothes ready, clearing some clutter and making the spaces you use most feel comfortable.

For me, the biggest seasonal change eventually comes at Christmas when the Christmas tree goes up. Until then, I don’t make huge changes to the living room.

The home can still feel cozy without completely redecorating it every season.

What I Don’t Do

One thing I don’t feel is necessary is creating a completely different cleaning routine for fall.

I still clean the kitchen as normal.

I still clean the bathroom as normal.

I still clean the living room as normal.

I don’t suddenly start meal prepping because fall has arrived, either. It just isn’t something we feel is necessary in our household.

Instead, I concentrate on the areas that actually need some seasonal attention.

This keeps the whole process much more realistic.

A Simple Fall Cleaning Checklist for Busy Single Mums

If you aren’t sure where to start, here is a simple checklist you can work through gradually.

Around the house

  • Clean doorways and entrances

  • Dust fans

  • Clean the extractor

  • Check areas that have had extra foot traffic

  • Look for small areas that need decluttering

Clothes

  • Go through your summer clothes

  • Remove anything you no longer need

  • Vacuum seal summer clothes for storage

  • Bring out fall clothing

  • Rotate your child’s clothing

  • Check what no longer fits

Kitchen

  • Go through the fridge

  • Rotate items that haven’t been used recently

  • Check what needs using

  • Defrost the freezer when needed

Bedroom

  • Clean beds

  • Change bedding

  • Go through bedroom clutter

  • Put away seasonal items

General

  • Don’t try to do everything in one day

  • Choose one small job at a time

  • Give yourself 20–30 minutes

  • Stop when your time is up

  • Continue another day if needed

You Don’t Need to Do It All at Once

If there is one thing I would tell another busy single mum about fall cleaning, it is this: don’t make it bigger than it needs to be.

You don’t need to spend an entire weekend cleaning your house.

You don’t need to get every single task finished before the end of September.

And you definitely don’t need to feel guilty if your home isn’t spotless.

Life doesn’t stop because the seasons are changing. There are still school runs, work, meals, laundry and everything else that comes with being a mum.

Instead, take those bigger cleaning jobs and turn them into smaller tasks.

Have 20 minutes? Clean the fans.

Have half an hour? Go through some clothes.

Have a little extra time? Work through the fridge.

Then stop.

Over time, those small jobs add up.

For me, that is what makes a fall cleaning routine work. It isn’t about having a perfectly clean home. It is about making the home feel a little more organized, comfortable and cozy as we move into a new season — without making myself completely overwhelmed in the process.

And honestly, I think that is more than enough.

I share more real-life moments from single motherhood, Ontario adventures, everyday style, food finds, and behind-the-scenes blogging over on Instagram. 

Come say hello: @lifeofgem28 

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