Yes, the word “chores” doesn’t bring much joy or enthusiasm! But this blog is here to help you navigate your home’s needs and make it simple and organized.

And what better time to get your home organized and ready for the cold winter than now?


Action Plan

Here is a list of chores that will help keep your home clean, organized, and hopefully help guard against problems:

1. Clear out your pantry. Go through your pantry and throw away chip bags that are almost empty, expired items, etc.  Re-organize your shelves and make a list of items you need to replace. Also, check your flour and baking soda/powder. Winter is usually the time to bake, and you want these items fresh.
   
   
2. Clean your dishwasher and washing machine, along with cleaning the air duct for your dryer. The best way to clean these is to buy products for that purpose. Yes, you can use vinegar, but I know the whole unit is clean with a product specifically for that purpose. Use an attachment with your vacuum and clean out the filter/air duct from your dryer.
   
   
3. Get your outside grill ready for the winter. Soak the removable parts in warm, soapy water with a bit of degreaser. Scrub and dry everything thoroughly before reassembling.
   
   
4. Curtains and rugs. Wash those that can be machine washed. For drapes that are high up, get a sturdy ladder and dust/vacuum the curtains that you cannot wash. Curtains can trap dust and pollen, so it’s a good time to clean and dust them. Throw rugs can be washed in the washing machine. HINT! Don’t laugh, but I take some of my very large bathroom rugs outside to the patio, hose them down, scrub with a little detergent and let them dry. They become so clean! Also, wash shower liners and curtains.
   
   
5. Linen closet. I love an organized closet, and if you have different bed sizes in your home, label them with the correct size. You can wrap a colorful label around the set. Or, place the sheet-set inside a pillowcase. For me, I keep the extra set of sheets in that bedroom’s closet, so they don’t get mixed up with other bedrooms. This is also the time to see if you need any extra blankets for the beds, or maybe a new heated blanket.
   
   
6. Bathrooms, medicine cabinets. I feel that bathrooms are some of the hardest places to keep clean and organized, probably because we use these so much. But before flu and cold season arrives, clear out all your expired medicines and prescriptions and make a list of some of your favorite sick products that you can stock up on now.
   
   
7. Under-sinks organizer. This is one of my “must haves”! Get a bin with small sides that will fit under your kitchen and bathroom sinks. If you have a very big area, buy two. Now you can store all your cleaning products, dishwashing detergent, etc. in the bin, and the items will stay upright and organized!
   
   
8. Remember to use baskets, bins, and hooks. Use the space under the shelves in your closets for bins to hold winter scarves, mittens, and blankets. Use baskets to keep your pet’s toys organized or to store outside shoes you want kept by the door. And remember, hooks are fabulous for organizing robes, towels, dog leashes, etc.!
   
   
9. Clean out your Refrigerator. Although this should be done almost weekly, I like to remove everything, clean the shelves and bins, and discard any items that may be old.
   
   
10. Winter Recipes! Along with cleaning out the pantry and refrigerator, I like to pull out my recipes and start planning what I will bake for Christmas gifts and what I will be cooking for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I keep a folder for holiday recipes, and it helps me to get emotionally ready for the colder months!

Manna from Heaven

Many people do become sad when the cold winter months arrive. But God has created all the seasons for a purpose. We are to find joy in everything He creates!

Psalm 74:17
You set the boundaries of the earth, and you made both summer and winter.

Job 37:9,10
The stormy wind comes from its chamber, and the driving winds bring the cold. God’s breath sends the ice, freezing wide expanses of water. 

Genesis 8:22
As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.

Zechariah 14:7-8
What a Day that will be! No more cold nights—in fact, no more nights! The Day is coming—the timing is God’s—when it will be continuous day. Every evening will be a fresh morning. What a Day that will be! Fresh flowing rivers out of Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea, half to the western sea, flowing year-round, summer and winter!