Everyone talks about spring house cleaning a time to freshen up your living space to get it ready for fresh air and sunshine. But, advises a staffing supervisor for Molly Maids cleaning service, a clean house requires a fall cleaning routine as well:

Deep Clean the Closets

Sort out your wardrobe and clean out clothes closets. Donate whatever you are unlikely to wear again to make room for seasonal purchases.

Get Rid of Expired Medicines

Check the medicine cabinet for expired meds and last winter’s leftovers. As you dispose of them, make note of things you need to buy, such as bandages, antiseptic creams or over-the-counter cough syrup.

Clean Out the Fridge

Dig deep for tired or expired foods, clean the shelves and organize the fridge. Remember to replace that old box of baking soda with a fresh one to guard against odors.

Clean the Carpets

A little elbow grease now will get you ready for holiday entertaining. Deep clean summer’s grime out of your carpets or hire a professional carpet cleaner with equipment that may dig deeper than you can.

Clean Ceiling Fans and Ceiling Light Fixtures

Open doors and windows all summer have likely left them coated with dust. Clean them thoroughly now that the doors are closed.

Wash the Windows

Washing them inside and out may be a pain, but winter can be depressing enough without having to look through dirty windows.

Shine the Silver

Before Thanksgiving is the best time to get out the polish and get your silverware ready for company.

Check the Gutters

Autumn means gutters are full of falling leaves. Clean them out now with a special hose attachment that has a hooked end to get down into the gutters. Look into attaching “hoods” or “helmets” to the gutters so you won’t have to worry as much about cleaning out leaves in the future.

By Barbara Pronin. Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2015. All rights reserved.