Spring may be the traditional time to do a major home cleaning, but if you’ve only got the time and energy for one big annual overhaul, consider doing it in the fall. The rush of summer is over and it’s the perfect time to get your Florida retirement home ready for the holiday season ahead. · Take an objective look at each room. Look with a fresh eye and make a list of what needs to be done – maybe some rearranging and reorganizing, cleaning, updating and so on. Once you have a complete list, you can put together a plan for tackling it.

· Check out the closets. If you’re not wearing or using something, get rid of it – don’t just store it out of sight.
· Clean the floors and walls. Shampoo the rugs and carpets, polish the tile and clean the grout. Wash baseboards and any marks on walls. If necessary, touch up paint or even paint entire rooms for a truly fresh look.
· Clear out the kitchen. Clean off countertops and other places where things accumulate, like the infamous “junk drawer.” Go through the refrigerator, freezer and pantry and toss the expired food (or those mystery packages of leftovers) and the items you’re never going to consume.
· Change out your accessories. Put summer items away and bring out the fall and winter things, such as throws for the back of the sofa and knickknacks in fall and winter colors.
· Purge your storage areas. Be ruthless with those piles of stuff you don’t know what to do with. Keep your Florida retirement carefree by not allowing such clutter to overtake your life. If you’re not using it, give it to someone who will.