5 household projects to tackle for fall

As summer wraps up and fall and winter approach, there's plenty to do to get your home ready for the coming season. To figure out what tasks to tackle first we spoke with experts to see what organizing must-dos can help prepare your home, and your mind, for the busy fall and winter seasons.

Get rid of things you didn't wear

Go through your closet with fresh eyes and ask yourself what did you actually wear and use last season. Clearing out unworn bathing suits, shorts and sundresses at the end of summer means you'll have less clothing to store — and fewer extra accessories to deal with — once spring and summer roll around again.

Put out-of-season items in storage

To save time and maximize your space, your closet should have only in-season items stashed in it. Store out-of-season items in labeled bins, then swap those items with what's in your closet when a new season rolls around.

Focus on space-saving solutions

Once you've cleared out unused items from the previous season and tucked warm-weather clothing away, it's time to bring out the sweaters, coats, scarves and more — items that tend to be much larger, physically, than their spring and summer counterparts.

To add extra space for your fall and winter things, take advantage of vertical space, especially in apartments or smaller homes. Hooks can hold bulkier coats and get them tucked against a wall while serving as a design element.

Cascading hangers, clever folding methods and spring-loaded drawer dividers can all help you fit more cold-weather clothing into a limited amount of space.

Simplify your morning routine

For starters, make sure that the everyday essentials your family needs to get ready in the morning are easily accessible, from their toothbrushes to the clothes they're wearing that day. (If you have younger kids, you might want to consider lowering their closet bars so they're able to get themselves dressed in the morning.)

If packing lunches tends to slow you down, consider setting up an assembly line of sorts so everything you need — plastic bags, ready-to-go snack packs, sandwich supplies and so on — is grouped together.

To get out the door faster, create a "launch space" in the entryway or mudroom where kids or adults can grab backpacks, homework, sports gear and whatever else they need for the day on their way out.

Get ahead of the holidays

It never hurts to start looking ahead and doing what you can to alleviate holiday stress, whether that's setting aside space for gift-wrapping supplies or moving holiday decorations to a more accessible spot. If guest rooms are used as overflow storage, start clearing them out as early as possible, so you can focus on more pressing matters, like setting out fresh linens, when visitors begin arriving.

Making an effort to edit the kids' toys and clear out broken or tired decorations will pay off once the holidays roll around.