Can someone take my hand after the chemicals and pool is clean on closing

I would not leave the pump motor outside - period - if water gets in, and then freezes, it expands and can wreck the armature and windings, if you MUST leave it outside, then cover it with something breathable, AND make some sort of box out of plywood to stand over the motor (like a mini motor shed) to keep the moisture off it as much as possible.

Here is my "plan"......feedback wanted.
I plan to thoroughly vacuum and clean the pool (although is is crystal clear now minus some dirt and a couple of leaves). After that I plan t backwash the filter for several minutes, rinse and shut down power. I have bought a skimmer box cover w/ gasket and I am going to buy a plug for the aqualuminator. Then I plan to put the filter to winterize and disconnect hoses from skimmer and to return. Place 4 x 15 air pillow inside pool tied to sides of pool on both ends to hold in the center of the pool(oh and steps and pad will be out). Place solid winter cover over pool and air pillow and tighten winch. Then I intend have had the filter draining as well as the pump. I want to try to leave hoses to the pump, from the pump to the filter top and from the filter top fastened if it's not too big of a h***el. I plan to take the top of the filter along with the pump into the garage for winter storage. Cover the filter w/ a small tarp and tighten around the base(IS THIS STEP OK) or should it be a bit loose to prevent condensation? The main components will be stored indoors.
Also, can pool chemicals and chlorine sticks be left in a garage? Stabilizer/etc or will cold winter weather harm the chemical makeup?

Your filter should have a drain plug on the bottom, take it out after backwashing, you won't have to set to "Winterize" if you're taking the multiport inside.
When tarping, you can bungee or tie it around the bottom, but keep it above the drain plug so it can still drain without getting inside the tarp. Condensation won't matter, even if it freezes, it's a plastic housing (likely rotomolded), and it would take a lot more than a little condensation to do any damage.

You should be able to take all the hoses connected together inside at once with two people doing it, (one carry pump, teh other the multi port, let the rest dangle) I can haul mine into my trailer alone and get it from there to the shelf inside alone as well, but I would not recommend doing so if you're walking from pool to house.

Place all loose bolts and plugs inside your pump strainer.

I have quick disconnects at each shutoff valve (skimmer and return) which makes it really easy to disconnect my hoses in one shot, then I just leave the shutoffs open - do that as well, in case there is a slight leak from one of your covers/plugs, otherwise water will build up in the short line to the shutoff and burst something.
I've never had any issues keeping chemicals in the garage, they have a shelf life, but I believe cold actually helps lengthen that.

I live in Northern Alabama, and we do get below freezing from time to time, but never for extended periods. I had intended to just set the filter to "winterize", drain it, and cover it. Is there really any reason to take the top off if winters here are just not that extreme?

Just drain the filter and cover it. Don't dump the sand--it's not necessary and if you aren't careful you could damage the laterals.

I still have the same sand after 4 seasons and never dumped it.

Here's why I don't worry about algae: This week I added a quart of Polyquat algaecide (you don't have to) and I will shock my pool up to 15ppm just before I close it--so the filter will be sanitized. I'll drain it and cover it with a contractor's garbage bag and tape it tight around the neck and base. This makes it nearly air-tight but no tape actually gets on the filter, just the bag.
That's it!

I left the hose from the skimmer box attached.It dangles down to the ground away from the pool wall. every now and then I grab it and maneuver it and notice that water comes out of it. Not much, but not enough to be condensation. I thought the skimmer cover was tight enough, and there doesn't appear to be much water around it from looking outside to the back of the cover. I really don't want to take the cover off and tighten the screws , they say not to overtighten anyway.....
any recommendation?
I have no idea where the water is coming from, except from inside...DUH!

Could it be rain accumulating on the skimmer lid, then running through the hole in the center or in around the lid edge?
If the skimmer is covered and you still get water in it, as long as it's just a little bit you should be fine