QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:
- Do you have bags of books or clothing for charity? Put them in your trunk today and drop them off while you’re out doing errands.
- Make menu plans for the week ahead; create grocery shopping list
- Fridge and freezer maintenance – Clean one drawer, one shelf, or two door shelves in both your fridge and your freezer.
- Get your errands done early today so you can relax and enjoy the rest of your weekend without running around town like crazy. Do your dry cleaning dropoff/pickup, grocery shopping, Home Depot run, clothes shopping with kids and other errands you might need, all in one big fell swoop.
- Bundle up and go for a long walk, if the weather in your area is nice enough. Even though it’s raining, I’m walking my dogs – they’ll be miserably bored if I don’t.
- Try to get rid of at least two bad, old, fraying pairs of socks or underwear for each family member. If you need inspiration, imagine being caught wearing them by an emergency room technician, ambulance driver, fire fighter or your favorite celebrity.. grin. Remember that you can easily buy a new fresh pair of socks, underwear or the like at JcPenney for less than $4 each.
- Invite someone over to Sunday lunch or supper as a short notice kindness.
- Do a quick wipedown/sanitize of your family’s remote controls, video game controls, telephones and cell phones.
TODAY’S PROJECT: Bathrooms
Today I am Spring Cleaning my home’s three bathrooms. I have three toilets to scrub, one bathtub, two showers, and four sinks. In addition, I’ll be sorting out three medicine cabinets, three cabinet drawers, and the 4 cupboards under all four sinks.
My least favorite household chore is the bathrooms, so I’ll try to make this a more pleasant task. I’ll burn my favorite scented candle in each bathroom while I work, and I’ll put on some fun music to listen to.
Spring Cleaning bathrooms doesn’t just mean cleaning them up really thoroughly and decluttering them. That should actually be a weekly task. The difference is that during Spring Cleaning we take care of problems and work to improve things, fix anything broken, and leave our bathrooms in a well maintained state, but also preferably better than we found them.
This is the time to get rid of that ugly bathroom light fixture that’s been bothering you; this is when we finally break down and call the plumber to fix the annoying leak under one sink. Instead of just dusting off an ugly soiled old wooden towel rack and making do with it, we’ll actually measure the rack, drive down to Home Depot before the weekend is over, and install a nice new inexpensive towel rack. Now’s the time to repaint a bathroom in fresh colors (a chore that wouldn’t take both days this weekend); replace those cracked bathroom floor tiles; totally replace limp faded old bathroom towels with new ones (something you could do for under $100 easily); and finally replace the rusted old sink or bathtub fixture. Need a new showerhead? This is your weekend to buy a new one, or call a professional to come install one next week for you. Is your shower curtain moldy, limp, and torn at the top in several places? Time to toss it and buy a new one – they’re not expensive.
If you want to aim for living a lovely life instead of just plodding through life cleaning and making do, then Spring Cleaning your bathrooms, fixing problems you’ve been living with, sprucing things up, and leaving your bathrooms better than you found them is the way to go.
At the end of tonight, my bathroom towels will be in the laundry; the bathroom scale will have been wiped down; my sinks, floors, tubs and showers freshly scrubbed; my walls have been washed down; baseboards dusted; trash cans emptied and sanitized; fresh flowers set in vases in each bathroom; and bathrooms sprayed with lovely fresh scents.
Tonight after our hard work Spring Cleaning, let’s make time to treat ourselves to extra long hot baths, with nice bath bombs or bubble baths to soak in, clean fluffy towels to dry ourselves off with, and fun magazines to read while we relax.
LOVELY BLOGS: A Field Journal
“A beautiful compilation of things old fashioned, timeless, simple and lovely.” Lovely recent posts include Wintering, Pretty Paper, Pretty Ribbons, and Holiday Card Display.
http://afieldjournal.blogspot.com/
LOVELY DISHES: Pink Tea Set
I already own too many teapots and tea sets, so I can only drool at this from afar. I don’t dare buy it and risk cluttering up my curio cabinet. Still, I love the delicate freshness of this pink, so evocative of Spring. The teapot is also available by itself on Amazon.
Pink Sophie Conran Tea Set, at Stash Tea
LOVELY FRAGRANCE: Pink Mimosa
New for Spring from my favorite home fragrance company, Votivo: Pink Mimosa. It’s scented with strawberries, mimosa and vanilla rum. This is what I’m burning on the mantel in my family room, where we gather to watch TV in the evenings. It’s making my house smell like Spring, even though spring isn’t quite here yet.
Pink Mimosa Candle, from Votivo
LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:
Altoids Mint Chocolate Cookie Bites (The Decorated Cookie)
Crustless Quiche Loaded with Kale (Alexandra Cooks)
DIY Greek Yogurt (Annie’s Eats)
Easy Lego Pops (Gourmet Mom on the Go)
High Heel Shoe Cupcakes (Cupcakes Take the Cake)
Lemon and Walnut Soda Bread (Baking Bites)
Peanut Butter and Jelly Tart (Cake, Batter and Bowl)
Roasted Red Potatoes with Bacon and Cheese (Everyday Dutch Oven)
