The dishes are put away, the leftovers are labeled, and the house is finally quiet. Then, somewhere in a wall or the attic: a scritch... mice. In Southern California hotspots like Simi Valley, Sherman Oaks, Santa Clarita, Oxnard and Woodland Hills, mild fall weather keeps mice moving while we’re winding down from the holidays. They don’t care about calendars... They care about warmth, food and places we forget to check.
If you’re on an HOA board, manage a community or you’re just trying to protect your own kitchen, here’s a calm, simple plan to get ahead of mice after Thanksgiving, not “someday.”
Because we create the perfect storm without meaning to... One pie crumb in a shared trash room can create food scents that travel and lure mice along utility chases; heaters and closed windows concentrate warmth, which is great for us, but better for mice; décor boxes in garages, closets or clubhouses make ideal nests; and when you're in an HOA that has shared structures , a gap in Unit 7 becomes scratching in Units 5–9.
None of this makes your community “bad.” It makes it normal. The win is acting before small noises become hotline calls... So, let's see what's the plan...
Day 1–2, right after Thanksgiving, do a quick pass: Walk shared areas that you would normally monitor such as trash enclosures, mailrooms, laundry rooms, clubhouse kitchens, hallways with utility boxes and exterior perimeters. You’re looking for three things: food access like lids not closing, spills, pet areas with kibble left out; gaps around doors, pipe penetrations, dryer vents and utility conduits (dime-size is enough for a mouse); and trails like droppings, rub marks along baseboards or gnawing on cardboard.
Day 3–4: Fix the easy wins: The best way to go at it is to start fixing the most obvious... Things like:
Day 5–7: Communicate: Send a resident note (you can copy/paste this):
“Hi neighbors—mild SoCal winters mean mice stay active after Thanksgiving. Please store sweets and pet food in sealed containers, wipe counters at night, and keep décor boxes off the floor. If you hear scratching or see droppings, tell us right away so we can stop it early. Thanks for helping keep our community clean and safe.”
Then schedule a professional inspection: Ask your preferred pest control vendor to do an attic/utility box check, entry-point mapping and a prevention plan (not just bait). Quarterly monitoring is cheaper than emergency calls and electrical repairs from chewed wires.
You'd be surprised how a small change in our habits can make such a great impact... You can start by:
Making sure to wipe counters, put sweets and pet food in sealed containers, and run trash out (lids closed).
Opening and checking holiday boxes outside; shake and inspect before you bring them in.
Sealing gaps where pipes enter under sinks or behind appliances, note them and report (or seal if you’re allowed).
Listen for scratching in walls/attics after dark and report them early to prevent a building-wide headache.
Keep snacks off the garage floor, elevate décor and use latching bins.
These aren’t “perfect forever” steps, but they’re good enough to make mice pick an easier target.
If you’ve fixed obvious food and gap issues and you’re still hearing recurring scratching in the same wall or ceiling, noticed fresh droppings (small, dark pellets) or gnaw marks, especially in pantries or utility rooms, then it probably is time to call and expert like AIPM.
The good thing about working with us is that we do things differently... We don’t just treat and go, we inspect, identify, seal and monitor so you’re preventing the next wave, not reacting to it.
If you need a quick walkthrough, give us a call and we can check your shared attics, utility runs, trash rooms and décor storage. We’ll map entries, tighten up the easy stuff and leave you with a clear, practical plan residents can follow.