January Seasonal Work
This monthly article will be a helpful reminder of irregular work. Some of the chores are 5 minute chores for one person; some are family projects that might take a couple of hours. Some are done monthly, some seasonally, biannually, or annually. Some are for the safety of you and your family, some save you money in the long term. Some won't affect you and your life due to your home, climate, appliances, etc.
The chores are matched to the area of the home you are already scheduled to work in for the most part, or are planned to correspond with the "day of the week work", according to the yahoo group announcements. If it doesn't suit you then schedule it for a different day but do your best to fit it in sometime.
Remember, when you have a big project scheduled, get a good night's sleep, plan a crockpot meal and a period of rest afterwards. Assign different tasks to your children, they will take ownership and pride in their contribution to the family. Don’t cheat them of this; they are learning to be responsible adults when you include them in this type of work. They won’t be left in a quandary as untrained adults.
Do not play catch-up except with checking the fire alarms, these tasks will come around again. Start right now with today and move forward.
Week 1
Laundry Day
* Put salt in the water softener. Kitchen Day
* Clean the oven and stove vent.
* Make up a big pot of chicken broth for the sick season.
Office Day
* Clean out files, throw away old records not needed for taxes, organize tax information in specific files.
Town Day
* Buy a new air filter for the furnace.
* It’s citrus season. Buy it in bulk if you can and serve it daily for a healthy snack and shot of vitamin C.
Cleaning Day
* Change air filter on furnace.
* Wipe door handles and light switches with disinfectant. Consider assigning this as a daily chore during cold and flu season.
* Do extra disinfectant cleaning in the bathroom.
Gardening Day
* Peruse garden catalogs; look at your menus; match your favorite food with what you can grow in your climate; make a plan.
Week 2
Laundry Day
* How are the winter clothes holding out? Do you need to toss some ratty ones?
Kitchen Day
* Look through your recipe books for some new soup and stew recipes to try.
Office Day
* Clean out files, throw away old records not needed for taxes, organize tax information in specific files.
Town Day
* Did you buy citrus produce yet?
Cleaning Day
* Wipe door handles and light switches with disinfectant. Consider assigning this as a daily chore during cold and flu season.
* Do extra disinfectant cleaning in the bathroom.
Gardening Day
* Peruse garden catalogs; look at your menus; match your favorite food with what you can grow in your climate; make a plan.
Week 3
Laundry Day
* Get out your stain treating guide and brush up on it; have a child or two make a poster of how to treat your most common stains to post in the laundry room.
Kitchen Day
* Make a list of your most commonly used recipes with their ingredients and ask yourself, “Can I grow any of these ingredients in my garden?” and “Is there a healthier or less expensive way of getting these ingredients?”
Office Day
* Clean out files, throw away old records not needed for taxes, organize tax information in specific files.
Town Day
* It’s citrus season. Buy it in bulk if you can and serve it daily for a healthy snack and shot of vitamin C. Ask the produce department of your local grocery for a deal on bulk buying.
Cleaning Day
* Launder mattress pads, pillow covers, spreads, and covers in hot water to kill dust mites, this will help a lot of allergic children.
* Vacuum mattresses and pillows; flip mattresses.
* Wipe door handles and light switches with disinfectant. Consider assigning this as a daily chore during cold and flu season.
* Do extra disinfectant cleaning in the bathroom.
Gardening Day
* Peruse garden catalogs; look at your menus; match your favorite food with what you can grow in your climate; make a plan.
Week 4
Laundry Day
* Have you been keeping up with mending and ironing? If not, make a goal and plan how to reach the goal and a plan for how you will keep up with it in the future. Don’t forget to teach your children these tasks.
Kitchen Day
* Make orange marmalade from the oranges you bought in bulk.
Office Day
* Send off your seed order!
* Clean out files, throw away old records not needed for taxes, organize tax information in specific files.
Town Day
* Don’t forget grapefruit, it’s great with a drizzle of honey.
* Buy salt for the water softener.
Cleaning Day
* Wipe door handles and light switches with disinfectant. Consider assigning this as a daily chore during cold and flu season.
* Do extra disinfectant cleaning in the bathroom.
Gardening Day
* If you didn’t do it yet, send off your seed order!
* Plot your garden on paper.
