Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1988-04-27, Page 21THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 1988. PAGE 21. rf$^Home & Garden ’88 Spring cleaning - a good time to get organized BY PATTI ROBERTSON As the days grow longer and the sun shines with more intensity, we must admit there are still vestiges around that time-honoured ritual “SpringCleaning”. Butitdoes not have to be the two or three week dawn ‘til dusk affair of bygone eras. There are various practical and less exhausting methods of ap­ proach; a personal favourite is to consider this exercise as a Spring Re-Vamp Decorating excursion. At this time of the year it is a great cure for winter blahs and cabin fever plus a chance to rid ourselves of the ‘tackies’ accumulated over the year. We start by throwing back the sashes, allowing the sun to stream in. Nexttakealongand honest look at all our possessions and recog­ nize what needs re-organizing. If we tackle one room at a time, this method allows for variety, since an entire day is not devoted to only one job, such as window washing. In addition, the first room we complete will be a shining source of accomplishment. It is best to begin our work in the least used rooms which will stay cleanest longest, and work to­ wards the busiest rooms which will need greater maintenance. Our kitchen, bathroom or utility room is best left until last as these are our working rooms which help get the rest of our home clean. Whether it is the entire room, or just the trim that needs to be painted, orvarnishedorre-wall covered, schedule it for when the curtains are down and the floors are due for a thorough cleaning. PROPER SUPPLIES AND EQUIPMENT The key to faster completion of any cleaning task is the organiza­ tion of supplies and equipment. Steps can be saved by preparing a well-stocked carrying caddie of needed items for each given room. Brooms, mops, scrub bushes, ladder, cleaning solutions and scrub pails need to be gathered together before approaching any clean-up task. Vacuum cleaners and the dust­ ing-brush attachment will pick up dust off most everything. Take stock of polishes, waxes for floors, furniture and silverware etc., and purchase needed supplies before beginning. There is not a room in our home where cleaning cannot be speeded along with the right cleaners and applicators. CUPBOARDS AND DRAWERS Every so often kitchen cup­ boards, cabinets, dresser drawers and vanities and shelves in our bathrooms require a thorough cleaning. Be discriminating; get rid ofitems that have notbeen used for a length of time or that are stale-dated. A good scrubbing with warm soap and water and a complete rinsing will do the job. A clever and inexpensive trick is to line our cupboards, drawers and shelves with a prepasted, strippable, vinyl wallcovering. Cuttofit. Wecan achieve a delightfully colour co-or­ dinated schemeby using colour and patterns in harmony with that used on our kitchen, bedroom and bathroom walls. STORAGE AREAS Once again, go through all articles carefully and dispose of unused and/or unwanted items taking up valuable space. Clean everything and ponder its worth, who uses it, how often it’s used; these are the basic ques­ tions. Sort the needed household paraphenalia for handy storage. Determine how the objects can be best placed for the particular they serve. Give ‘up-front’ preference to frequently used articles, every­ day dishes, silverware, in season clothing and accessories. Group things which get used together and locate them in the areaofuseas much as possible. For example, if we have two bathrooms it is convenient to have cleaning supplies at hand, in each room. An in home office, with a supply of writing needs may be best located near the telephone. Sew­ ing supplies, located in the laundry room, are an aid to quick repairs before clothing is laundered. A wide variety of hanging shelves, organizers and space savers help our quest for convenience. For closets we are offered garment bags, shoe and hand bag caddies, along with kits to divide and re-arrange closet spaces. A clothing rack can be purchas­ ed which will fit over the regular height rack, providing a low reachable pole for youngsters’ clothing. This arrangement offers a larger area for hanging clothing. The upper rack can hold out-of­ season garments. Drawers dividers, cabinet di­ spensers, paperbag and pot cover holders, plus stackable bins all aid To make cleaning your oven easier, spray the racks with oven cleaner and leave overnight. In the morning, take the lower drawer and basket out of your dishwasher, and put the racks in at an angle. You may have to juggle them around a bit, but they should fit a standard dishwasher. Set the controls to super-wash, and let the dishwasher do all the work. in neatness to our closets, refriger­ ators and cupboard spaces. Specialized racks and holders for sports equipment such as skiis, allow floors to be scrubbed and vacuumed with less stress. Small items, paperclips, rubber bands, stamps, safety pins, etc. have a tendency to wind up in catch-alls, scattered throughout the home, these can be regrouped and confined in small drawer units. Most bathrooms are storage shy. Well-hung shelves, tank-top units, shower caddies, towel lad­ ders plus rings and hooks can help keep our bath clutter free. FURNITURE AND ACCENT PIECES Once we have completely va­ cuumed and polished our furni­ ture, we should stand back and view the arrangement. Some rooms due to doors and windows and the size of furnishings can only benefitfrom one arrangement, while in other rooms there can be numerous possibilities. Cash Discounts Up to $200 if you hurry Spring is here. And so is our terrific lineup of John Deere lawn and garden equipment. Choose from riding mowers to lawn and garden tractors - complete with manufacturer's cash dis­ counts of up to $200.00. UI Lawn & Garden CENTRE WALKERTON COUNTY RD. 3, W. (919) 881-2231 This is a great time to get a new look, perhaps a better proportion­ ed balance to our furniture place­ ment. Remember, our furnishings should be suspended away from our walls. The degree to which we place our furniture into the room will depend upon the space available. Suspending furniture as such, allows for more congenial conversational groupings. Our accent pieces, such as curio cabinets, oriental chests, wall screens and music stands etc. should be placed so as to add interest and individuality to our rooms and passageways. Perhaps during this cleaning season we’ll decide to transform our ordinary furniture into distinc­ tive pieces with the use of new decorative hardware. Ourordinary chest of drawers with plain wooden knobs can be made to look very expensive with the use of ivory and gold knobs. Note: Patti Robertson Is an Interior Design Consultant in Whigham. ONLY TANAKA TRIMMERSHAVE A BRAIN. Tanaka trimmers come standard with The BRAIN,™ Tanaka’s fully automatic self-feeding head. It thinks for itself, feeds itself and quits feeding when the trimmer line length is correct. You never have to stop to pull out new line, or bang the head on the ground to release more line. Tanaka trimmers and brushcutters feature: • two-year limited warranty on all parts and labor • easy-start transistorized electronic ignition with a five-year warranty. • The BRAIN™—Tanaka’s fully automatic string trimmer head • engine components engineered for exceptional durability. FROM invest in a Tanaka at: THE FIRST CHAIN SAW WITH A 2- YEAR WARRANTY. Your Tanaka Chain Saw won’t let you down, and neither will our 2/5 year limited warranty. Tanaka saws are quality-built from the inside out. Tanaka chain saws feature: • two-year limited warranty on all parts and labor. • five-year warranty on the tran­ sistorized electronic ignition. • chain brake • bucking spike • anti-vibration system • automatic, adjustable chain oiler • engine components engineered for exceptional durability. See us at the London Home and Garden Show.... April 20 - 24 Fora long-lasting Tanaka chain saw, contact: ON DISPLAY NOW AT LYNN HOY ENTERPRISES LTD. HWY.#86 EAST WINGHAM, ONTARIO. (519) 357-3435