{5} Things We're Doing to Close Out Winter

It feels like it was winter winter winter and then all of a sudden, SPRING!  One week I was scraping snow off my car and 5 days later it was 70° outside.  That has lead me to random urges of preparing for spring!  A few things we've been doing to pack away winter and usher in warmer weather:

1) Wash all couch blankets
We have a storage ottoman of blankets downstairs.  They get pulled out year round for tents and general Luke play but obviously get the heaviest use in the winter.  I pulled them all out and threw them in the laundry.  Feels good to have them all clean.

2) Wash winter coats
I didn't wash all the coats (like my church coat that gets, at most, 20 minutes of actual wear a week) but our everyday coats and jackets all went through the laundry.  It feels really good to get those all washed up.  Luke's especially.  Who knew two year olds aren't the cleanest?  (Everyone.  Everyone knew that.)

3) Making a garden/yard plan
I've admitted to not having much of a green thumb.  And that remains true but I, generally, seem to have more luck with outside plants than inside ones.  I've kept some hibiscus plants alive for almost 8 years now and those are both indoors (winter) and outdoor (spring/summer/winter) plants.  My morning glories are pretty reliable for me and I've only killed one of the 7 boxwoods we've had.  I'm blaming squirrels for the complete lack of tulips, not my failure as a gardener (it really could be either).  Fixing up our landscaping has been our project for the last year or so.  Last year we did a lot of backyard work and this year we hope to get to some things in the front.  That means some planning.  And I'm trying to work on it now before life gets overwhelming and I feel behind.  Trying.

4) Switching out our down comforter for a quilt
Another of those "throw in the washer" things that just makes me feel good.  When changing our sheets last I switched out our down comforter (from Target) for our lightweight quilt (from Target), washing the down comforter and packing it away for the summer.  I still haven't packed away the heated mattress pad (it's literally warming up our bed as I type this, but likely not when this posts at 9am...) but that's about done for the year too.  Nothing like a little change in the weather to make me want to wash all the things (but not the screens, that still hasn't happened in 10 years but maybe now that will be a good project for a certain water loving little boy and I).

5) Inventorying Luke's warm-weather wardrobe
I buy clothes for Luke throughout the year, in a variety of sizes, depending on what I can find on clearance or good sales.  This is a good time of year to go through his next size box and figure out what I think he'll need for the spring/summer so I can start watching deals as well as checking what he has for next winter so I can watch clearance sales.  I did really well shopping for his summer size so this year that's just been an extra pair of swim trunks, a church/wedding outfit, and an extra pair of shorts.  That's it!  I'm rather amazed at myself.  And it's nice to know he has enough clothes for another ~6 months!