Works for Me Wednesday!!! August 30th

The end of summer brings the anticipation of my favorite season, Fall. But it also brings the much needed "Home Update".

I learnt this tip a few years ago, and since then I stick to it every year and it does make things go smoother.

After the kids start school, it's time to get back in gear and it usually means getting my home and everything to do with it, caught up to date.

Here is what I do:

• Declutter my outside shed. Put away lawn mower, weed eater, hoses and Barbecue Grills. The first year or two of being married, I left everything out and needless to say, I had to go buy new ones when the next summer came around.
• Mend clothing that needs to be repaired. As I do the laundry, I set aside anything that's missing a button, or has a little tear or something, then I take one afternoon and mend it all.
• Call up insurance agents for car, home etc....make sure that I have everything up to date.
• Call up any credit cards or other debts that are being paid off, get the current balance and make sure I'm up to date on everything.
• Check all my appliances, make sure they're working correctly and don't need any new parts.
• Set aside the magazine subscriptions that come in, and go through them, then I only renew the ones that I DO read, instead of getting tons in the mail and paying for stuff I don't even have time to get to, or am no longer interested in.
• Go through the closets and check which clothes still fit and which don't, then donate them.
• Pull out the fall clothes, wash them all.
• Clean up my computer...empty the recycle bin, delete programs no longer used, back up all the info etc.
• Since I like making my own christmas cards, I start looking for the materials now and slowly start buying them, so I have enough time to finish them all and mail them off in time.
• Start collecting ideas for Halloween costumes so that I can make them in time.

Obviously, I don't do this all in a day, but within a week I'm usually done with it, and then I can relax and start enjoying the changing of seasons. I can concentrate on my crafts and sewing and knitting etc. Feels a LOT better to be ready for the cooler temperatures :)

It Works for Me, hope it works for some of you too. If you want to play along, head on over to Rocks in my Dryer.