There is a long list of household chores the beginning of each season. If you break it down with one chore a day and bundle a short, easy list on a day off from work, then it can become manageable. After all, you can only eat an elephant one bite at a time!

So first, think of your personality. If you put the worst chore first, would you be happy to get that one over with, or would you simply never start working on the list at all? Order the list to fit your comfort zone.

Spring

• Walk around the yard and take a notebook with you. Write down any lawn or outdoor buildings which require maintenance. Be sure to make specific notes, so you will not be scratching your head later trying to figure out your notes. Remember painting as well.
• Get rid of all the old stuff you have not used in a year. Garage sales are great motivators.
• Switch the clothes in the closet from heavy winter to spring.
• Check the roof. Are there any loose or deteriorating shingles? Are the gutters in need of repair?
• The outdoor furniture is calling; pull it out of storage and enjoy watching the flowers begin to grow!

Summer

• It may seem silly to think of the upcoming frost, but checking the furnace or heaters now makes sense, instead of having a failure at the worst possible moment.
• Check the screens on all the doors and the assemblies for the sliding glass doors.
• If you use contractors for replacing gutters and other outside household services, now is actually the time to take advantage of that. The fall is when they are typically the most busy.
• The kids will be spending a lot of time on the swing set, is it well maintained?

Fall

• The leaves are falling, sigh, time to rake. Make the activity more festive and have a contest to see which family member can gather the most. Remember the gutters!
• When is the last time you checked the insulation in the attic? Do any shingles need replacement after the summer sun?
• Now is the time to aerate the soil, in the front and back yards.

Winter

• It’s a perfect time to get a lot of the detailed “spring” cleaning done inside the house. Holidays are approaching and folks will be dropping by for short visits and lengthy meals. Move furniture, vacuum underneath, check the foyer closet for clutter, to make room for heavy coats and umbrellas. Give the whole house a white glove test!
• Change clothes in the closet from summer to winter.
• Check supplies to keep the walks free of ice; shovel, dry ice, salt, etc.
• Check decorations for the holidays.