The Fall Yard Tasks That Actually Prep Your Home for Winter

Fall always comes faster than anticipated. One minute, you’re grilling in shorts, and the next, you need a jacket to walk down the street, and leaves are falling everywhere. Most people know they need to “do something” before winter arrives. But what is worth it – and what is busywork that won’t change anything by the time January rolls in?

Not all fall yard work is created equal. Some genuinely protect your home and prevent it from needing repairs when bad weather happens. Some are just helpful. And that’s okay if you let them slide. This is what matters when prepping your property for cold weather.

Rake Up Leaves – Or Don’t

This one is obvious. But many people fail to realize how bad things can get if you let leaves lie for too long. A huge layer of wet leaves on your lawn can actually smother it and create dead patches come spring. This happens because the leaves block sunlight and keep too much moisture trapped, creating mold, disease, and a patchy lawn once all melts away.

But you don’t have to rake it all up into bags and take it to the curb. That’s what older generations did – and, to be honest, it’s a bit wasteful. There’s too much foliage on the ground that may be needed by grass. If you have a mulcher (for example, a Worx leaf mulcher), you can mulch down those leaves into pieces so thin that they decompose quickly, and fertilize your soil. This process is faster than raking; it’s better for the grass; and you’re not putting a dozen bags of leaves in landfills later.

But be sure to do this before they get matted down with rain or snow – when they’re wet and smashed together, it’s harder to collect them. A nice dry, crisp day in October or early November will work.

Check Your Gutters

This isn’t necessarily yard work, but it’s nearby – and it’s one of those components that can create significant damage if you ignore it. Gutters that become clogged can possess thousands of dollars of damage to your home because water has nowhere to go once it fills up.

When gutters overflow, they spill over onto your siding, approach your foundation, and eventually leak into your basement or crawlspace.

At least once during fall (and probably after most leaves have fallen), get on that ladder and check it out. Plus, check your downspouts to ensure they’re not forcing water into your foundation – make sure they extended away from the house structure instead.

Trim Back Branches and Shrubs

Branches don’t grow back as quickly in winter, so if you notice any dead or overgrown branches that could pose problems, trim them while it’s still warm out because when ice accumulates on sidewalks, driveways, and roofs, it creates pressure – and under stressful situations, branches snap. If they snap over your roof, sidewalk, power lines, or driveways, that’s an unnecessary situation to create.

Fall is also the best time for trimming with many varieties because the plants go dormant anyway; you’re not stressing them out.

Walk around your yard now because when it’s too cold and there’s snow on the ground, trimming branches isn’t easy without being an inconvenience. It’s easier now on a sunny Saturday than it is with a broken branch in February during an ice storm.

Drain/Hose Your Hoses

This is a five-minute job that prevents unnecessary damage. If the hoses are still connected to outdoor spigots during winter, any water left inside can freeze (it expands). That pressure can crack the hose, create damage to the faucet or even burst pipes inside your walls.

Unconnect your hoses from the outside and drain them; bring them inside into a dry garage or shed. While you’re at it, if there’s a stop for outdoor spigots inside the house; turn it off so no more water comes through. Some people also use insulated faucet covers if their winter gets brutal enough.

Give the Lawn One Final Cut

You don’t want to let grass grow long going into winter. It’s like leaving leaves on the lawn; long grass mats down under snow and creates fungal issues, dead spots, and a mess when spring returns. But cutting it too short stresses roots and makes lawns susceptible to winter kill.

Aim for two-and-a-half inches; one last cut should be done in late fall before the lawn becomes dormant once again for winter. This keeps everything presentable without scalping your lawn.

Fill in Any Bare Spots or Drainage Issues

If there are low spots in your yard that hold excess water whenever it rains, this becomes an issue in winter. This freezes and thaws out as mud come spring – and needs addressing either by re-grading the area or adding soil or simple drainage solutions like French drains.

Even with bare patches in your lawn – you can spread some grass seed down early enough during fall before soil temperatures cool, so there’s some head start instead of waiting until spring when the ground is workable again.

Put Away or Cover Outdoor Furniture

If you’re not going to use certain items throughout winter, put them away or cover them now; patio furniture might be okay for another week or so after Halloween – but after that, any exposed piece suffers months of ice that can break them easily.

Planters too – things like planters should come in if you have enough space in your garage or shed; otherwise purchase some durable weatherproof covers. Even tools like lawnmowers and trimmers should have their blades cleaned out with gas emptied (or stabilizer added) so they remain dry and out of the cold. It’s not glamorous, but it gets them working well when they return out again in spring.

The Bottom Line

You won’t waste every weekend doing yard work for October through November but consider this list so you enjoy the payoff come spring – or avoid unnecessary hassle come winter decline. These little things save thousands of dollars over potential repairs instead of waiting until they’re a big enough issue to do something about it.