The leaves are falling, Halloween is coming, and the cozy comforts of home beckon — it must be October. Enjoy this month’s beauty, get some exercise raking leaves in the brisk air, and prep your outdoors for winter. Then sit back, relax and warm your hands around a mug of hot apple cider.
 
Rake leaves. To make quicker work of collecting leaves from a large lawn, rake the fallen foliage onto a large plastic tarp. Then add it to your compost pile or let your township compost them — contact your township to find out how.
 
Trim dead tree and shrub branches. Dead limbs are more likely to fall during winter storms, making them a potential safety hazard. Have a certified arborist inspect and trim large trees.
 
Clean rain gutters and downspouts. Wait until most of the leaves have fallen to schedule a gutter cleaning. Inspect gutters and downspouts for cracks and loose parts and make repairs as needed.
 
Cover or store outdoor furniture and grills. If you plan to leave your patio furniture or grill outside through the fall and winter, cover them well and stow them beneath an overhang that will protect them from rain and snow.

Shut off exterior faucets and store hoses. Disconnect, drain and roll hoses before storing them for the winter. Shut off the water supply to exterior faucets to prevent frozen pipes.
 
Clean and lubricate all garden tools before you store them for the winter—they’ll be all ready for you in the spring!