Where I live, it’s not quite yet spring. Winter like weather is still with us, though we do have some warmer days filled with sunshine. As much as we want to be outside, it’s not yet time to garden, and so it’s a tricky season to know what to do as a homemaker. I certainly feel an itch to do something but I find myself hesitating on beginning some of the tasks that come to mind that I know need doing. Like washing the windows. Instead, I’ve decided to do some indoor tasks that will help me prepare for the warmer days ahead.
Deep Clean Your Home
I actually already got around to this deep clean. My husband even helped! We were having guests over after receiving the sacrament of marriage in the Catholic church (we had done a civil service back in 2020 six months after my husband proposed, during the pandemic) but this step was necessary since my husband is joining the Catholic faith. Since we were having guests, we got the whole house cleaned. Floors washed, baseboards dusted and washed (a word I use lightly as I don’t scrub them, but wipe with a damp cloth) bathrooms spic and span, toys put away, surfaces dusted and made to sparkle, the WORKS of cleaning.
I’m so glad we did all of that, as it’s really given me a head start in getting ready for spring.
This in between season is a perfect time to deep clean your home and start prepping your home for the changes spring will bring into it soon. Those might be decor changes, changes in how often you are in and out of your home, changes in routines and schedules that often come with the warmer weather.
Declutter and Organize
This is something I started doing. I have my mudroom closet all tidy and organized, but the upstairs bedroom closets’ need a declutter and tidying. So does my front hall closet. As do so many drawers and cupboards in the house. The truth is, these spaces get messy and cluttered up with stuff you don’t even know you have, or even want or need. I tackle these one at a time because once you are in a closet, you start unearthing all sorts of things and it’s always a good idea to give yourself the time and quiet you’re going to need to get out the excess stuff and organize the things you want and use. This is another way to use this in between season before you start breaking out spring linens or decor.
A great place to declutter and organize this time of year is your fridge and your pantry. Take everything out and wipe down all the surfaces and then throw out the old and expired, top up your jars of beans or pasta and get it all back into those spaces fresh and neat and ready for the spring and the changes you’ll embrace as the weather warms up–lighter, fresher, brighter dishes, and a different approach to cooking as the heat intensifies.
Finish Up Winter Projects
If you have a DIY project you’ve been working on, whether that’s redecorating a room or upcycling a piece of furniture, working on a gallery wall or even a knitting project, this is the time to get it done. You likely don’t want that project lingering into the spring and then summer months, or the potential mess that comes with it, so be sure to tackle it with re-newed energy and get that new office painted and decorated and organized or that wool sweater knitted up with all the ends weaved in. This will help get your home in order and beautified for spring and the project will stop taking up space in your home and your head because it is done.
Wardrobe Refresh
There is no real reason to go out every season to buy new clothes for the season. I’m not a fan of trends and as I’ve become older I’ve become a little pickier about the kinds of clothes I want on my body and feel comfortable in. Also, I just don’t have as much disposable income as I used to and I don’t have the patience to spend hours in the mall shopping. But of course, we do sometimes need clothes. But before we head out and buy new things, I recommend going into your closet and doing a wardrobe try on.
Try on the spring and summer wear you wore last season and see what fits and what you like. Sometimes small changes in weight can make a clothing item fit awkwardly or make you feel uncomfortable. Sometimes you might just decide that you hate something you wore a season or two earlier. Be sure to donate those things that you don’t fit or you don’t want so that others can benefit from them. This will give you a good idea of what you need and like before you go shopping.
Final Thoughts
This in between season can be a really useful time for homemakers. Many of the ideas above are things we all intend and want to do, but often put off because of time constraints because these tasks are time consuming and often we are just busy doing the daily tasks of cooking and child caring and tidying spaces so our homes don’t like a tornado has torn through it. Even if you only do a closet a day, or can only deep clean one room at a time, it’ll still get you ready for spring so that when it’s warmer you can get other tasks that are better to tackle when it’s warmer outside–like cleaning those windows.
Do you do in between season cleaning? Let me know what you think of this idea in the comments below.