We’re a few months away from winter, so now’s the time to work on some home maintenance tasks. The good thing about fall cleaning or maintenance tasks is they aren’t that complex—you can even leave some chores to your kids. These are unlike those back-breaking tasks during winter. Even you couldn’t shovel all the snow from your driveway; you would often call snow removal services to get the job done.
But what exactly are the tasks that are suitable and simple enough for children to help you with? Here are some chores you should consider:
Raking fallen leaves
Although raking leaves is a cleaning task dreaded by most adults, many kids find it fun. Children are even more eager to help once they know they can jump into the pile of leaves or play with these until they rake them up again. You can also let them pick certain leaves for some creative DIY fall-inspired projects.
Creating mulch
Once your kids are done raking (or re-raking), recycle the leaves by making some mulch for the garden. Let your little helpers assist you as you mulch around trees and in some flower beds. While you’re at it, explain to your kids how the mulch can protect plants from the upcoming cold winter season.
Cleaning the outdoor furniture
After raking all the leaves and using them as mulch, you can start storing outdoor furniture. You don’t want your picnic tables and chairs to get damaged during a hailstorm. But before you bring them inside, why don’t you ask your kids to help you clean them? When cleaning most outdoor furniture, all you need is soapy water and a scrub brush. Let the kids do the scrubbing while you work on pieces that need fixing.
Organizing the closets
The fall is the perfect season to clean out and organize the closets since you have to pack your spring and summer wear and get your jackets and other winter clothing items out. Get your children involved by letting them work on their own closets. Teach them to categorize their clothes, shoes, and accessories. That way, the next time they organize and clean out their closets, the task will be much easier and faster.
Cleaning out the pantry
Preparing for winter days is also a good time to clean out the pantry. Since they might not be tall enough to reach the cupboards, get your kids involved by having them perform simple tasks. These include looking at the expiry dates of canned goods, wiping the food items that need to be returned to the shelves, picking out items your family can send to the food bank, and vacuuming dust and crumbs on the floor.
Now that children do homeschooling or online learning due to the pandemic, get them moving and learn life skills by getting them involved in your fall home maintenance chores. As long as you make the activity fun and rewarding (you can offer more screen time or cook their favorite food after the chores), you won’t find it difficult to ask for their help.
