Weather or not, commence spring cleaning, organizing

I knew we would have one more snowfall or a last blast of really cold weather because lulled into complacency by a few warm days, I started to put away some heavy winter clothes. It never fails ... if I decide that summer is over and unpack the fall duds, we have a heat wave; and if I become convinced that winter is finally finished, Connecticut’s changeable weather pulls a surprise.

We may be known as “the land of steady habits,” but our weather is anything but steady and reliable. Nevertheless, my inner clock is pushing me to say, “C’mon, it’s spring ... time to clear out and clean up.”

Getting our tax papers together, I already have a head start on throwing out unneeded receipts and old credit card statements, as well as disposing of instruction booklets for appliances I no longer own.

Here’s my room-by-room list for spring de-cluttering that I hope to have completed in time to enjoy guilt-free sunny days on my deck. You might want to use it as a starting point for your own checklist.

Home office/Den

- Books that I’ll “get to some day.” Drop off for the library book sale.

- Old newspapers. Scan and then clip what’s important. Toss the rest.

- Look over magazines. Cancel those I never read.

- Toss out old phone books.

- Throw out collection of keys that don’t open any known doors or boxes.

Kitchen

- Into the trash with old spices.

- Worn-out pots and stainless and odd-size glasses go to Goodwill.

- Mismatched dishes and those that are chipped, discard.

- Outmoded appliances, such as the 20-year-old juicer and the mammoth turkey roaster, go to the food pantry or the senior center.

- Into the garbage with expired grocery coupons and exotic recipes. (What was I thinking? I never make anything that consists of more than four ingredients).

- Throw out that thing that is growing in the back of the vegetable drawer.

Living Room

- Clear out photos from miscellany drawers and put in albums.

- Get rid of half-chewed cat toys hiding under the couch.

- Purchase some brightly colored sofa pillows.

- Put out cheerful plants ... daffodil and pussy willow.

Bathrooms

- Throw out any half-used containers over 3 years old.

- Use for rags or donate worn wash cloths and towels.

- Check dates on all medications and get rid of any “expired.”

- Scrub shower doors and sink and put out “fresh scent wands.”

Bedrooms

- Start a Goodwill box. Do not keep for yet another year anything two sizes too small. Repeat 10 times, “There is no magical weight-loss fairy.”

- Put away heavy blankets and comforters.

- Throw out worn sneakers from back of closet.

- Get rid of watches and clocks that no longer tell time.

- Dispose of gloves, socks and earrings that have lost their mate.

And if you can’t remember where you have stored infrequently used or out-of-season things, create a file, paper or computer, and label it: “Where Is?” Include those cute trinkets you bought and put away for someone’s birthday or wedding anniversary.

Getting rid of clutter and getting organized will make you feel 10 pounds lighter even if the scale doesn’t agree.

Happy spring clean out!

— “Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” — A.A. Milne

Contact Jean Cherni, founder of the retirement advisory service, Senior Living Solutions, at jeancherni@sbcglobal.net or 15 The Ponds at Hotchkiss Grove, Branford 06405.

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