It’s time to relax, our fall to do list is winding down and we can feel ready for the snow to come. One of my favorite ways to relax is a cup of coffee and a stack of favorite magazines in a cozy chair watching the leaves fall and gathering ideas.

I think this fall has been the most beautiful of all! The colors have been spectacular, the sunsets breathtaking turning the lake pink under its glow and the temperatures have been perfect for working outside, taking long walks or playing in the leaves.

Outdoor Shower

One important thing to get done before the temperatures turn to freezing is to turn the water off to the outdoor shower and remove it’s parts so that any water stored inside can come out.

White Arrows Home Hint- When the plumber came to show me how to do this, I videoed it on my phone so I could go back and feel confident that I was doing it the right way.

These beach towels from Land’s End are some of our favorites. They are the perfect size, are soft and come in a variety of colors.

White Arrows Home Hint- With five kids in the family it works great to have each kid know which towel they are using when we go out on the boat. Then no one is arguing about who’s towel is the wet one as they all reach for a dry one. They also then know which one is their responsibility to get on the line when we are done. Silly arguments stopped right away after I bought these cute Land’s End towels.

These swimsuits are part of my vintage collection, so are the red water skis. I love mixing vintage pieces into my lake house decor. To read my weekly series Lake House Decor- Vintage Must Haves, sign up to have my posts delivered to your email box on the side or bottom of this page. I would love to have you follow along. Head to this post to read Vol. I of the series.

Follow me on Pinterest to get ideas from my Outdoor Shower board.

Chopping Wood

We constantly have a fire going in late fall and the cold winter months. That means a lot of chopping and splitting wood. The trees that came down to build the cabin have been used to make firewood to heat our home. My husband enjoys the physical workout of this labor and the kids often are put to work helping split the logs.

My husband uses a chainsaw to cut the logs into pieces then an axe and splitter to make the firewood.

The benefit of all the hard work is the cozy fire that crackles and gives warmth all season. I love the quote by Henry Ford, “Chop your own wood and it will warm you twice.”

Outdoor Furniture

We store and put away all of our outdoor furniture under the deck to keep the snow from sitting on it all winter. This job takes the whole family to lift and carry, stack and store.

We take down the hammock, wrap it up and store it in the attic of the garage.

All the lake equipment gets cleaned up and stored in the attic as well, where it will wait until next summer’s fun! That is one of the good parts about living somewhere where there is a change of seasons, we can’t wait for each one to roll back around and participate in the activities it brings.

Piers

Each Spring we put the piers in the lake and each fall they come out again. We have a company help bring the boat lifts out, but the piers we do as a family. Many people around the lake help each other with this chore and turn it into a fun neighborly event with a party at the end of the work day.

Waders are worth the investment. They really do work to keep you warm and dry while working in the chilly fall water.

Boats

Taking the boats and jet skis out of the water is a bittersweet event. We are never quite ready to be done with water sports for the season, but wetsuits only help keep us warm in the water for so long. We give the boats a full cleaning and cover them up before taking them to storage where they will be winterized and wait for next summer.

Gutters

Cleaning debris and leaves out of the gutters is a high priority for fall clean up to help prevent an ice dam from forming in the winter and causing a leak indoors.

 

Leaves

Our favorite Fall chore? Raking and blowing leaves. The kids have so much fun playing and jumping in them once we get them into a pile!

We used to spend so much time raking and have been so happy with our Stihl Leafblower. It makes the job so much quicker and easier!

Yard Work

Fall fertilizing to get the yard ready for next spring is important. It’s also important to remember to use a No Phosphorus fertilizer. Check your local DNR website for their regulations and suggestions. Your lake association is also a valuable resource.

Snow Plow Stakes

A lot of snow will be heading our way for winter and our driveway will be plowed often. In the fall we stick tall orange stakes into the area around curbs, flower gardens and paths to help the snowplow know where to go and where to avoid. On average we get 82 inches of snow a winter, so that’s a lot of plowing! The kids love it though because they get to make giant forts out of the mounds of snow. To see more of what our winter looks like read this post on Winter Time Fun.

A few more items like setting live traps to keep out unwelcome “visitors”, trimming the hedges and covering the air conditioner units and our checklist is complete.

Planning ahead and checking things off the Fall To Do list gives time to relax and spend more time in the fall watching football in the basement cozy by the fire.

Find Fall Supplies Here

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Leaf Blower

Chainsaw

Ax

Splitter

Wood Bin

Lawn Furniture Covers

Ladder

Driveway Stakes

Fireplace Tools

Waders

Rake 

Clippers

 

Find ideas and a printable fall checklist at Cabin Living Magazine.  They also have great articles on stacking firewood, making scarecrows and more!

Ready to Relax?

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