Now that the kids are back in school, I have been bitten by the cleaning bug. First there was the outside, cleaning out flower beds, weeding, trimming, raking and ordering spring bulbs. With the yard straightened up, I am now focused inward.

The kitchen utensils, once a tangled mass fighting for space, are breathing easier in my recently purchased Rubbermaid organizers. My children’s summer clothes have been distributed to their friends’ younger siblings and the goodwill bags are waiting to be picked up.

Next weekend, I will unleash my urge to purge on the cabin.

Fall Housekeeping at the cottage involves a fair bit of work and some planning. Aside from just getting organized, there are also some safety and survival concerns, particularly if you use your cabin in the winter. Neighbors tend to be fewer and farther between in the winter months, and getting in and out of the cottage can be treacherous.

The following suggestions will hopefully help you get organized and keep you safe.

1. Have an emergency kit that consists of water, food - canned or dehydrated, battery-powered radio, flash lights, first aid kit and candles. Fall winds and winter ice storms can wreak havoc on power lines.
2. Check to make sure you have winter coats, rain gear, boots, gloves and hats.
3. Organize your clothes drawers - before you pack away your summer clothes, make sure they still fit, otherwise donate, sell or turn them into rags.
4. Clean and defrost the refrigerator. Put in a box of baking soda. If you’re turning off the fridge for the winter, tape it open so it doesn’t mold.
5. Wipe down the cupboards that store food. Bring home any food that is not in a can or jar. Mice are attracted to food sources - empty clean cupboards are the best deterrent for rodents.
6. Make sure your boat house has shovels, sand and salt if you’re planning on using it in the winter.
7. Check your heating sources
   1. Stack your firewood and make sure it’s in a dry location
   2. Check your propane tank
   3. Have your chimney inspected and cleaned
8. Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and change their batteries.
9. Organize a fall raking party - many hands make light work
10. Clean out and store planters, especially if they are terra cotta or ceramic. If water gets into the planters, they will crack once the temperature drops below freezing.

If I’ve missed anything, or you have some organizing tips, please leave me a comment.

Cheers,

Julie

This entry was posted on Monday, September 10th, 2007 at 11:00 am and is filed under Fix It. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.