KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — As we prepare for the weather to change for the fall, local experts have some ideas on how to declutter your home and yard in time for the winter months.

We talked to a home improvement expert in Kalamazoo about how homeowners can get organized. He said it’s important to get rid of any yard waste, especially any debris or fallen branches from trees, so that ice doesn’t build up.

“Not all debris is created equal, right? So yard waste and composted material is entirely different from household waste and refuse material, so you need to make sure that when you’re planning that, that clearing that cleanup, that you keep that material separate so that they can end up where they need to end up in the most efficient and effective manner,” Andrew Doerr, co-owner of redbox+ Dumpsters in Kalamazoo.

Cleaning and inspecting your home’s gutters before the temperatures drop is important. Doerr said its a good idea to do an inspection of your gutters while it’s raining to make sure they are flowing freely.