Thanksgiving It’s here…! When did THAT happen? Like it or not, it usually signals that we must get busy. Yup, snow will be here soon. We can hit the figurative snooze button a couple more times, but…it’s time to begin getting ready for cold weather.
Getting a Head Start on the Yard
Do you have a yard? A garden? Both? By this time of the season, everybody is pretty bored of yard work and garden maintenance but if we spend a few minutes a day pulling a few weeds or cutting back dying or dead stuff, it’s not so daunting later. Even though the leaves haven’t fallen yet, they will soon and that will be a job in and of itself! Other small tasks…
- Make a plan to get the shed or garage tidied up. It will be time to bring in tools, hoses, and summer gear soon. Make room.
- If you burn wood in the winter, it may be time to move that pile closer to the house (watch out for black widow spiders!) and see about stocking up some more while it’s less expensive.
- Be sure to check corners of the yard that have been ignored. We tend to focus on the flower and vegetable beds in the summer months, while some of the obscure corners may have gathered twigs and a broken lawn chair. Dig those out so some critter doesn’t set up camp for the winter.
- Do you plant bulbs for a spring showing? Start your plantings now? Be sure to draw up a quick chart of where you put everything, so you know what to expect. Or not! It can be a nice surprise in the spring!
Then There’s the House
We get it. Your fam’s been home for months and getting anything done has been extra challenging. Maybe a few things have returned somewhat to a more “normal” cadence…the kids are back in school (even if that means at home), and work has resumed….sort of. But now you’re craving a routine. It’s normal, even healthy! And after a summer of rapid-fire, never ending news events, we’re all a bit shell-shocked. So let’s get one started….
- Have each family member sort out their clothes. Each person should decide what doesn’t fit, what they don’t want anymore, what’s worn out…and then see what’s left.
- Get ready for cold weather by pulling out cold weather gear and sort that too.
- Make a list of possible clothing purchases needed for everyone. Stick to the list to save money!
- Pick a couple of other areas that need some sorting like your pantry or linen closet. Dig out the stuff that’s dated and stale, worn and unused. You’ll be surprised at how much space you can make!
- When it’s all sorted and donated, treat yourself to a Fall Deep Cleaning to make sure you’re all fresh and ready for the cold season!
Though life has been exponentially disrupted, it has helped us learn what doesn’t work anymore and to create new things that do! New season, new routine.
