Planting spring bulbs in the fall is my only consolation that summer is over. Earlier today I was certain that I would spend the today attacking closet organization. My motivation was weak at best and it totally dissolved when I remembered that I had purchased some daffodil bulbs at the hardware store this past weekend. The day was really too nice to spend inside so i made a token stab at organizing my front hall closet and then I changed into my gardening pants and clogs.
Although my yard is full of dormant bulbs that will surprise and delight me in the spring, each year I add a few more. I don't need to but I love the ritual. It's relaxing and exciting at the same time. It's like planting buried treasure. Every spring I make a few notes about what areas might need a few new bulbs and every fall I plant 1-2 dozen new bulbs.
A few years ago I gave up on tulips. If the tulip bulbs survive the squirrels and deer, they only tend to last a year or two. The beauty of the first year is not worth the funny sight of a lone stubborn tulip coming up year after year. Some people have better luck with tulips and their garden's are lovely. I have had poor luck with tulips and I have given up.
Of all the spring bulbs, my favorite is the daffodil. It is pretty, resilient, unappetizing to squirrels, and it multiplies. I believe daffodils are the bulbs that provide the most value for your dollar. As a result I always tend to add daffodils every fall. Of course, I don't limit myself to daffodils. I also try to plant a small patch of a new type of bulb each year. If the new variety of bulb works well I add to it the following year. I have not yet chosen the "new" bulb for 2009.
The soil in my garden is fairly rich. I compost regularly and try to amend the soil every year. That being said I never plant a bulb without a pinch of blood meal and bone meal. The blood meal keeps animals away and the bone meal gives it an energy kick in subsequent years.
The internet is a wealth of information on planting spring bulbs. Certain bulbs need sun, others will fair ok in the shade. Some spring bulbs can be planted in September while others do better if planted just before the first hard freeze. I am attaching a link to the BBC site on planting bulbs .
Once you start planting spring bulbs you will be hooked. It is a fun and inexpensive hobby and it pays out in beautiful dividends in the springtime. I find that planting bulbs is all about being house proud.
Wednesday 16 September 2009
Front Hall Closet Organization
Closet organization in the fall months is a good idea. It's at this time of the year that summer jackets get replaced by winter jackets and golf clubs replace the skis in the corner of the basement. The end of summer can be melancholic at the best of times so I generally put off this chore until the last minute. This is not a job I enjoy but it is a part of being House Proud .This year is slightly different. Our schedule will have us busy and out of the country for a good part of the autumn and therefore I must address the annual end of summer closet clean out by the end of September.
The easiest way to start the task is to take one day and package up every jacket, sweater, and/or pair of shoes that are clearly worn out or clearly too small. Sometimes this simple task isn't as well received as you might think. I often find it best to do this task while I am alone. Into the mix I add everything that is broken or useless including broken kites and soft tennis balls. Again, there can be vigorous debate on what constitutes an item being broken enough to be discarded. Sometimes I win and sometimes I lose.
I generally start to organize the front hall closet first. This closet is the nerve center of the house in a manner of speaking. If certain items that are expected to be there fail to be there (just as the bus is about to arrive) then a state of crisis is about to ensue and pandemonium breaks lose. Although it is not my responsibility to return the belongings of other members of the family to the front hall closet my life is easier when I return the errant sneaker or odd pair of gloves. This is the only closet that MUST have an end of summer over haul. Other closets should also be addressed at this time of the year but failure to clean and organize other closets is not catastrophic.
A few years ago I discover the miracle of plastic storage bins. With this discovery my closet organizational techniques catapulted light years forward. My current favorite are the clear hopper bins with different colour lids. Each family member has their own hopper bin in the front hall closet and there is an additional hopper bin for the family in general. Each person having their own plastic storage bin allows them to take ownership of their belongings. This system works marvelously.
As a blogger, I make an effort to read what others are writing online. I have picked up lots of hints over the years. I really wonder how I coped before the internet. One site on closet cleaning and organization that I cam across recently is full of lots of great ideas about closet cleaning and closet organization. Although they don't post as often as I would like when the closet organizers do post their information is wonderful.
Enough writing on closet organization, I should now start to organize my front hall closet.
The easiest way to start the task is to take one day and package up every jacket, sweater, and/or pair of shoes that are clearly worn out or clearly too small. Sometimes this simple task isn't as well received as you might think. I often find it best to do this task while I am alone. Into the mix I add everything that is broken or useless including broken kites and soft tennis balls. Again, there can be vigorous debate on what constitutes an item being broken enough to be discarded. Sometimes I win and sometimes I lose.
I generally start to organize the front hall closet first. This closet is the nerve center of the house in a manner of speaking. If certain items that are expected to be there fail to be there (just as the bus is about to arrive) then a state of crisis is about to ensue and pandemonium breaks lose. Although it is not my responsibility to return the belongings of other members of the family to the front hall closet my life is easier when I return the errant sneaker or odd pair of gloves. This is the only closet that MUST have an end of summer over haul. Other closets should also be addressed at this time of the year but failure to clean and organize other closets is not catastrophic.
A few years ago I discover the miracle of plastic storage bins. With this discovery my closet organizational techniques catapulted light years forward. My current favorite are the clear hopper bins with different colour lids. Each family member has their own hopper bin in the front hall closet and there is an additional hopper bin for the family in general. Each person having their own plastic storage bin allows them to take ownership of their belongings. This system works marvelously.
As a blogger, I make an effort to read what others are writing online. I have picked up lots of hints over the years. I really wonder how I coped before the internet. One site on closet cleaning and organization that I cam across recently is full of lots of great ideas about closet cleaning and closet organization. Although they don't post as often as I would like when the closet organizers do post their information is wonderful.
Enough writing on closet organization, I should now start to organize my front hall closet.
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