It’s Time for ‘Fall Cleaning’
July 30, 2009 by Jennifer Walker-Journey
Filed under Fall, Parenting
People say we have two seasons here in the South – summer and winter. But some days, after the Indian summer has burned out, you can feel a crispness in the air that hints of autumn. That’s when I start getting the cleaning-and-organizing bug. (Not at the brink of spring when most folks gear up for their spring-cleaning.)
Here is what’s on my fall cleaning to-do list:
• Get the HVAC unit serviced. Nothing sucks more than a heater going out when it’s 30 degrees outside!
• Change the batteries in the smoke detectors. Some say to make the change when the time change occurs, but I know some places (like Phoenix, from which I just returned) don’t observe daylight savings time.
• Clean my son’s room. My son just can’t get his own room clean enough. Besides, this is a great opportunity to bag up the toys and clothes he’s outgrown and give them to Goodwill.
• Clean all the closets. Again, this is the best time to give away those clothes that haven’t been worn for two seasons and the sheets that go with nothing.
• Clean out the attic. I swear there’s a floor under all that crap.
• Organize the pantry. I have canned goods and spices that I know must predate my son.
• Sort through my recipe binder. I need to toss out the recipes for dishes I’ll never make and file under the right category the ones I plan to make over and over.
• Return to the gym. Unfortunately, I took the summer off, and it shows.
• Sign up for that online course. I’m going to take one on novel writing because some day I hope to actually find time to write one.
What’s on your fall-cleaning to-do list?
Photo, Flickr, riot jane
I cleaned out my son’s closet last week, first deep cleaning in 5 years. Baby board books, wooden puzzles, Hi Ho Cheerio. He panicked and hid some of it under his bed so I wouldn’t sell it in the garage sale. Going to clean daughters closet and bathroom closet (throw away old makeup). I signed up for an online class on digital photography, “taking pictures of people”. I love a good cleaning plan, but exercise….not so much.
We spent four hours yesterday in Capra’s room, trying on all her clothes and cleaning out her closet, and there are still some parts of the room that aren’t done! Also on the list are fresh pine straw for the yard beds, going through the piles of paper that came home from kindergarten last year, finally putting a second coat of paint on the pantry doors, and also back to the gym.