Spring cleaning

I'll have another post soon about the all the lovely book ideas from last week's, I heart hobbit houses. If you want to read the comments or add another (as I'm gong to be checking back as long as I'm getting more ideas from you all), you can click on the above link. I've seen a few old friends (authors and titles) but I'm also excited there are unread volumes to discover. :)

The past few weeks have found me on a schedule of work and rest and work and rest. It's amazing what one can accomplish a little at a time.

I thought I had a sinus infection but my doctor tells me I've developed seasonal allergies. I talked to him during my usual three month diabetes appointment and A1C blood draw (that sounds horrible) on Friday. He gave me samples of allergy medicine that have worked (so far). Yesterday I could actually breath and my head didn't ache as much. :)

We try to deep clean and declutter twice a year, in fall and in spring. By the end of winter, we are paying for our squirrel-like tendencies to accumulate and keep everything that has come in over the past few months. It has something to do with the cold and dark that comes with the season. That and the cold garage where we quickly take an item out, scurrying back into the warmth of the house.

Spring brings with it light flowing in through windows. It tends to land on those corners where books and papers are stacked, literally bringing to light winter's clutter. There is also something that wakes up inside of us, shaking off the need to hold "things" close, exchanging it for a desire to shed excess. When one lives in a small house without a basement... that is a good thing.

If you came to visit us during this time you would have found stacks of "stuff" on the dining room table, on the floor, in our bedroom, and bookshelves all askew as I'm deciding what "has to go". Yes, it has been a mess that has caused a twitch every time I walked in the door.

I have to admit, this is the part of "keeping house" I don't like at all. This whole process of sorting and deciding what stays and what goes... it gives me a headache without the allergies. I enjoy organizing things... just not all this major deep cleaning and decluttering.

I took my husband on a little tour this morning, showing him everything that I'd accomplished. (I loved it when Laine said she did this with her husband as they often don't recognize the effort after it is all complete.)

The garage is next but it is not as bad as last year. We've been able to keep the pantry area sorted and my other garage shelves remained rather unscathed this winter. That's not to say there isn't work but I think we can get through it the same day. Now that we have warmer weather, I will also take everything out of the deep freeze to check what needs to be used soon and take inventory.

Most of the filters have been changed... the well filters in the crawl space, the incoming well filter underneath the sink, two of the three Culligan filters, and the furnace filter. The rocking chair has been moved to the front porch, along with a couple real plants and the silk geraniums (washed free of last year's dust). The two small deck tables are still in the shed, awaiting their washing.

Perhaps we'll find ourselves remembering fondly when the cold winds blew against the windows, making it necessary to curl up with a good book and a cup of tea. Perhaps someday but not now... I'm enjoying the warmth and light too much and I'll take the work that comes with it. :)

Note: My apologies to mothers of preschoolers who can no longer remember what it was like to clean and declutter... and have it stay that way for more than five minutes. I have been there. That season does pass. Honest. Really.