Declutter the Obvious

• It's time to put away everything from summertime's outdoors activities. With as much detachment as you can muster, clear out anything that will likely be unused or outgrown when summer returns. Donate items to local charities or churches or have a yard sale. Pack up the clothes you know you want to keep and will truly use, and store them until next year. Get some large boxes--one for each room--and judiciously remove anything that's too old, broken, useless or just taking up space that could be freed up for something more appealing. Go through the closets, drawers, cabinets and look under the beds. Throw out all the trash. Mark the boxes to be donated, discarded or sold, and put them where they won't be in the way. Call or drop by the organization to which you'll be donating. Set a calendar date for when to hold your yard sale, and plan for it.
  
  

Winterize

• In preparing for winter, get anything done that you know it might be too cold to do later. Sand and varnish banisters or woodwork, caulk the sections of the bathtub or sinks that need it. Call the chimney sweep and schedule him in before you start your first fire of the season. This is a good time to check the ash can doesn't have any holes in it, and that your fireplace tools are all in order. Pull out all the winter sweaters, jackets, gloves, hats, ski gear and boots, and make sure they are still wearable and usable. Anything that isn't can go into your boxes to be given away or sold. Find your flashlights and make sure you have plenty of batteries on hand. Make sure your heating filters are clean and the hot water heater well-insulated. Check all the wiring for electronics and tidy them up, bundling them so they aren't taking up space or causing anyone to trip. Shake out rugs and think about having the carpets cleaned if there's been a lot of recent activity. This is especially nice if you want to lie by the fire with some pillows and a book.
  
  

Closets, Drawers, Cabinets, Lights and Doors

• Taking time to clean and organize the home leaves one with a sense of accomplishment.presidential bedroom image by Mike Shannon from Fotolia.com
  
  Go back through all the closets and make sure you've removed all unwanted items. Remember to check hats and shoes. Check for towels, sheets and other linens that might need replacing. Do you have enough blankets? Put them all in the same closet for easy access, if you have enough on the beds. Dust the shelves as you go along. Get all the junk out of those kitchen drawers that collect things you don't know where else to put. Turn them upside down, wipe them out with a damp sponge, pull out what you really need and want, and toss the rest. Get a bottle of nice-smelling, environmentally-friendly cleanser and wipe down all the cabinets, closet doors, and drawer faces. Replace broken or missing light bulbs throughout the home, and make sure there are some in stock, as well as several candles. Stop at every doorknob and light switch as you move room-to-room, and wipe them down, too. You won't have to think about these for awhile.
  
  

Outdoors

• Leaves are dropping, and the yard tools may need some tending. Check that the garage or tool storage areas allow easy access. Is your snowblower working? Snow shovel handy? Put away any children's toys only used for summer. Re-stack any firewood that might have tumbled over in recent months. Cover the pool if you have one, or wipe down and repack the temporary smaller pools. Check that your perennials are tended and any mulching gets done. If you know you'll need protection for plants in winter, make sure you know where it is long before your plants freeze. Your landscape is an important part of keeping the home feeling nice, too.
  
  

Polish Up

• Walk around your home with a broom or long-handled fuzz collector. Brush cobwebs out of all the corners, especially ceilings. Dust off the bookshelves and throw out any old magazines you no longer need. Check that your pantry is well-stocked after you have wiped off all the shelves. Look under sinks for any old chemical or mostly empty bottles. Dispose of them appropriately. File mail and documents. Get the dust cloth and polish all the furniture. Use something that smells nice. If you have old throw pillows and cushions, this is a good time to discard them and get some news ones. You're going for "feel good" items during winter, and thrift shops and import shops are fun places to find bargains.
  
  

A Note on Children

• Children love to feel needed, but they don't always like "work." If you have kids, make a game of having them choose from their own personal items, clothing and toys. Let them decide what to part with. If their things will be donated, help them understand how they are helping another child; if something is to be sold, let them keep the money or teach them about saving for something for next summer. Lots of ways to get the children involved. They can sweep and polish, too, if they are old enough and understand what you are trying to do. Set little goals like "next weekend, we want to have the downstairs (or den, or yard, or anywhere) finished--what should we do first?" You can avoid the "reward and punishment" concepts and just have them participate as a fun, family interaction toward creating your environment. Don't push them. Just encourage. You'll all sleep better when you have joined together to make your home a winter haven.