QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

• Go for a walk if it’s nice enough out.
• Do your sheets need washing today? I’m looking forward to sleeping on fresh clean sheets tonight.
• Look over your calendar for the rest of the month. Any birthdays coming up? Need to write any cards, send any gifts, plan any parties?
• How are your beach towels looking? Do you have nice fluffy ones for the summer? (Even if you don’t have a nearby beach, you might have an apartment pool, a backyard, a lake, or the community pool to use beach towels at). Have any old much-used beach towels that should be cut up and converted into cleaning rags? Have too many beach towels, so you need to sort and give some away? (I definitely do not need to buy any more beach towels until the year 2013 or so).
• Are you still well stocked on Kleenex? With the allergy season upon us, and Seattle’s slow start to summer, my guests and I have used up almost all my tissues.
• Take inventory of your sunscreens. Need to throw any old or potentially rancid ones out? Do you have a range of SPFs so visiting guests have their preferred sunblock? (I use 30 but try to have some 15 for guests who tan and 50 for serious heliophobes). Do you need to pick up some kids or baby sunblock?
• Need to do any laundry this weekend?

TODAY’S PROJECT: Tea Cabinet and Gift Closet

Today I’m cleaning out my gift closet. It’s nearly empty now that we’re halfway through the year. I’ve raided it of almost all it’s guest soaps, lotions, scented candles, chocolates, and pretty books I keep around for emergencies. I was really glad I had all those supplies since a couple cousins’ and friends’ birthdays snuck up on me the last couple months. I’ve also completely exhausted my supply of little stickers, color books, and picture books I send occasionally to my niece and nephews as “I’m thinking of you” gifts.

I seem to have plenty of pretty gift bags, wrapping paper and ribbons, so I don’t need to restock any of those. Otherwise, I now have a legitimate reason to go “gift closet shopping” at the outlet mall next week. Woohoo!

I’m also sorting out my tea cupboard yet again. Last night a guest wanted decaffeinated tea at 11pm (understandably!) I couldn’t easily locate any, because I have so much caffeinated tea in the way. I only have two kinds of decaf tea, too – mint, which some people don’t like, and chamomile, which also isn’t necessarily anyone’s favorite. I have a tea serving box that’s designed to hold lots of teabags for presenting to guests, but I’ve let it get disorganized and nearly empty. Time to rearrange my teas, wipe down the cabinet, consolidate where I can, and take inventory. And I seriously need to not buy any more Earl Grey until I drink up two or three of the six boxes I already have!