Getting things in order

It must be because we're on the other side of summer that I'm feeling the need to get in and get things in order for the coming winter.

I love all seasons - I don't really have a favourite one nor one that I despise. They all bring joy and have their beautiful moments. I think the kids have been feeling something similar by wanting to light the woodburner and read stories or fall asleep in front of it at bedtime. We ordered in firewood a few months back and it's all stacked and waiting...

This weekend we knocked off a few maintenance type jobs and general sorting that's been hanging around and creating a source of irritation whenever I remember it needs doing.

So, Simon fixed the kids swing and the hammock which were both in need of repair - ok, so not major save the world type jobs, but it gives them an outdoor outlet that gets them out in the garden, climbing in the trees etc and hopefully this time it won't come down (sorry Johanna, I feel terrible that poor M was on it at the time!).

Then he moved on to repairing a pipe under the house. We'd noticed a funny hissing sound in the bathroom for a few weeks but not really thought too much about it. It was only when I was in the front garden during the week that I peered under the house through the baseboards and noticed that one of the pipes was leaking water everywhere! So he figured out what he needed, had to hire a special tool to do the job and we're back to no-leaks. What a sense of achievement for him to add another skill to his list.

Meanwhile, I worked on...

Weeding the front garden and pulling out the old sunflowers (and put the heads into the chicken's coop) and everything else in there bar a couple of herbs/flowers. I intend on putting my winter brassica's in there - but am a bit concerned that it doesn't get natural water since it's under the eaves, so will need to be diligent about watering even during winter. I will also need to add a load of compost as the sand seems to have risen to the surface again.

I then did a bit of inside decluttering and organising.

My linen cupboard got a sort out and scaling down in size - I don't buy linen, but we seem to get gifted a few swimming towels for the kids every year and I thought it was time to get rid of some.

Then I moved into the storage cupboard in the laundry and it's amazing just what resorting does for creating more space.

I then tackled Danielle's wardrobe. Her cupboard seems to be the place where I chuck and store all surplus clothes and bits and pieces that have no home.

So I pulled out things, made up a box of clothes that are too small, toys that they've outgrown and managed to clear a space in her room by putting a small cupboard in there that was in the corner of her room.

I then got into my own clothing drawers and got ruthless. It's been a few years since I did that. There was a drawer at the bottom that is where all the clothes that don't get worn but I'm not yet ready to let go end up for a while. Well, that pretty much got emptied out today along with well worn and manky t-shirts.

Then...the front porch got a sort out and my seed raising area tidied. I then sowed some seeds into one of the propogators. Sadly, after all of this, my seeds have STILL not turned up, so I bit the bullet the other night and ordered some more Ecoseeds.

Arghhh, that feels good!