Spring and Summer Preparation

Last Fall I gave you full details of my Fall Maintenance and Winter Preparation plan. I have a permanent to-do scheduled for every October 1st. I pull out my Fall and Winter Notebook. There are several fall maintenance chores that should be done each year to get prepared for winter and I keep a listing of them in that notebook. I add the tasks to my to do lists as I can to get done over the several weeks that follow.

Well, now that Spring is here, I pull out my Spring Notebook and do the list pretty much in reverse. I do not have a permanent date set up this time. I let the spring itch and the sight of the blooms beginning to peek out on the ornamental pear trees remind me. Today, I saw the blooms. I have been itching for a few weeks now.

I will give you my basic lists, again.  This is just an overview. Many of these I will write about in more detail in other articles.  I do not always get to everything on the lists, I just use them as a guide to get more done than I would without these lists. Consider scheduling some of the following tasks onto your calendar or making your own Planner. Don’t try to do them all in one day, but don’t drag them out, either.

The Chores:

Just like in the Fall, I break all of the chores into affected areas. For me it was the easiest way to initially figure out what needed to be done. You can set up your list in any way that makes sense to you. All of our lists are going through some adjustments as we are still in the early years in a new to us home, but most things apply wherever we are.

The Family:

Here I just mean actual people. I start with the four of us, then friends and extended family, then community.

• Clothes. I start swapping seasonable wardrobe. I add all of it to the wash to freshen it up. As things come out of the dryer, I start putting the heaviest things aside to be stored and the spring and summer clothes into into closets and drawers. I make a list of clothing/items each person needs.
• Everyone will want to get involved in all kinds of extra-curricular activities. All of us have some intentions in our heads of things we would like to do over the Spring and Summer months. I start asking everyone about their plans, start looking into any registration dates and try to get schedules of any activity that has a season. Conflicting events are easier to manage logistically and emotionally when everyone knows in advance and before any money has been set out for fees for anything.  If you have several group things going on, take a look into some activity managers. They are a huge help with coordinating and communicating with group members.
• Community. I look up the dates and times of local community activities and pencil them into my paper calendar. There are so many free to inexpensive things going on within short driving distances all season. There are a few someone in the family will really want to do for fun or service. The others I write in anyway to have ready when I start hearing, “I’m bored”.

Inside:

• Spring Cleaning. The regular Cleaning Routine I follow keeps the list down a lot. When I start getting Spring fever, I grab a notebook and walk through the house. I stand in each room and list anything that comes to mind. Then I take a closer look at the ceiling, walls, surfaces, and floors. I list all of the things I do not think about normally. There will be several more articles on things that can be done for Spring cleaning or throughout the year.
• Systems Check. We inspect the HVAC, the plumbing, and the gas lines for any damage and nesting. Freezing can cause some little problems that could go unnoticed until they turn into big problems.  The warmth from most of these systems can attract critters to burrow and nest through the winter.
• Water Heater. All kinds of small debris from the pipes settle at the bottom of the tank. It is good to flush it out occasionally. There is a small cap on the bottom like those on some coolers.
• Vegetation. I have many plants that I bring in for the winter that will be going back out at the end of May. I check to see if they need bigger pots. If they do, I repot them and separate them from the ones that do not. If the pots are good, I start decreasing their watering more and more to a drought then drench situation so they will be more ready to survive outside with less care from us. I also try to move them as close to windows that get the most daily sunlight. The repotted plants will get the same treatment, but a few weeks later.
• Emergency. In the fall, I do a good check of emergency supplies. In the spring I replenish any supplies used so we will be good again until next fall.
• Decor. During the winter months when we are spending so much time indoors, I tend to pay more attention to trying to make the house cozy. The cozy of Spring and summer is different than the cozy of Fall and winter. I start removing all of the warm heavy things and doing things to make the house feel more light and airy.

Outside:

• Systems Check. We inspect the HVAC, the plumbing, and the gas lines for any damage and nesting, again. From the outside. In addition to the freezing, the warmth from most of these systems can attract critters to burrow and nest through the winter. Trust me. You want to know before those critters start having babies. I added this after a coworker had to evacuate her house because a family of skunks moved into the crawl space underneath. {EEwwwww..}
• Decor. I change the wreath on the door and do a little porch decorating. I schedule on the calendar when to change it up for the rest of the season. Sometime in April or May, we clean off all outdoor furniture and get out any cushions or decorations for summer that were stored over the winter.
• Gardens and Flower Beds. As soon as we can, we prep all of the beds and put down a layer of mulch. We decide what kinds of things we intend to start from seed, what we intend to plant, and make a list of all of the other landscaping projects we need or want to do.
• Structures. We check for holes and damage to the exterior or the house from top to bottom – roof, walls, foundation. The same for outbuildings and dog houses. Make sure water will drain away from the structures.
• Gutters. We pull out any fallen branches and run the hose to see if there are any places where freezing water has broken the seams. We try to make sure to do this on one of the first days when the temperature is really nice, before ‘April showers’ begin.
• Surfaces. Any problems with porches, stairs, and the driveway need to be repaired.
• Screens. We like to keep windows and doors open as much as possible when the weather is warm enough until it starts getting way too hot. We check to make sure there are not any rips in the screens and that the seals do not have dry-rot.
• Outdoor Wood. Do any of the porches, decks, or fences need staining or water sealing?
• Automobiles. (Am I the only one who always thinks of the movie Sixteen Candles with that word?) One afternoon is set aside to thoroughly clean the cars inside and out. Hubby insists on changing the oil and checking the fluids himself, but you may prefer scheduling an appointment to have it done. It is a good time to check for any other car maintenance tasks such as tire replacement and other things Hubby understands more than me.
• Outdoor Water. After the last freeze date, we uncover the any faucets that were not frost free fixtures. We check water hoses and put them out. We do not have any fountains, pools, or the like but now is the time to start bringing them back to life if you have them.

Projects and Events:

When I started the notebooks, I initially included all of the gatherings and events over the upcoming months.

There are not as many for the summer months, but there are a few reunions and get togethers that are fairly regular. The Forth of July weekend is similar to Christmas for us just no presents but lots of swimsuits and games. We also host the maximum number of yard sales our community ordinances allow. These are BIG mutli-family sales. I plan the dates out now and start notifying the other families I already have on my list.

If you are making a planner, go ahead and add a section for each gathering or event you have show up annually (or more) in your calendar. Include decorations, crafts, recipes, traditions, any gift ideas (I keep a list of everyone’s favorite color and special interests), and most importantly, a place to write a follow up. The follow up will remind you in later years what works, what does not and will give you a place to make notes on little changes you want to make for next year. It is the key to evolving the chaos to smooth sailing.

More Resources Out on the Net:

Spring Cleaning Chore Checklist from Organized Home

Spring Maintenance from Repair-Home

Comprehensive Spring Task Checklist from Demesne

Save Time, Effort, And Money With A Monthly Home and Auto Maintenance Checklist from The Simple Dollar

photo credit: Pink Flowers by rkempjr. Isn’t it beautiful!