Ahhh…summer…let’s take a moment to reflect on how awesome it has been this year!  O.K., that’s enough, if you were like me you closed your eyes…heard the waves upon the beach, the laughter of family and friends, smelled the awesome grilled food and tasted the sweetness of homemade ice cream. Well, now, most everywhere school is back in session, vacation time has been taken and is over – life gets back to reality…for the most part.

Do You Have The Remains of the Summer Here and There In Your Home…

In the summer, we’re more focused on getting up and getting outside. We’re more focused on spending time with family and friends. We’re possibly not so focused on keeping our homes in order as we like. Let’s face it – homes have an awesome lived in look in the summer! 

My Job Is Picking Up

I realize just how much summer and all the fun I’ve had this summer has left its mark on my home when I find:

• books laying around
• luggage from trips not put away
• craft project tools in baskets not put away
• fabric remains and such gathered by the sewing machine
• Dearests boxes, paperwork, pens, tools (yes tools are in the dining room-not decorative at all!) etc…
• Add Fresh Flowers
• Burn Fragrant Candles
• Take Time Out for a cup of Tea!

Stuff! What my Grandmother used to say – “clutter begets clutter!” So, I begin first by going around and picking up all those things that have been left laying around. 

Deep Cleaning

A good deep cleaning hasn’t really happened since early Spring/late Winter. I’ve been giving my house what my Grandmother used to call (she always had a saying for something) “a lick and a promise”. I’d do cursory just enough to count cleaning around the house! Now, it’s time to get things really clean! Our house has plaster walls so sometimes I feel like our house grows dust! 

So… I’ve Set Myself a Schedule-A Plan per-se…

• Declutter each room
• Deep Clean
• Remove What’s NOT Decor
• Put Things Back Where They Belong
• Deeper Declutter – checking closets and drawers for things that either need to belong somewhere else or to be donated

Clean and Declutter Equals Freedom

I shared a similar thought to my Dear Son who is very newly wed. He wasn’t the neatest one in our family and was o.k. with it. Now, he has a Bride who is trying to make their home hers. I shared with him that whether he knows it or not, all the clutter he leaves around weighs both on his new wife and on him. Those things I need to do but procrastinate doing weighs our minds down. They’re always on the back burner. We need to take them off the back burner – go ahead and take care of those tasks – one room at a time. And, like my husband says – be done with it!

Do you always keep your home clean? Do You Need a Mid-Summer Refresh? C’mon…please share – we’re all kind here – we understand and if you’re one of those people who are always organized and focused – we need you! You inspire us. As for me and those like me who struggle – you know the struggle is real, but we too can do it! Let’s get our homes refreshed for the summer – we’re worth it!