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Around The House

End-of-Summer Cleanup

September 1, 2021

It’s almost Labor Day, the traditional end-of-summer, which means it’s time for that end-of-summer cleanup. Yes, the kids are back in school, the pool at the park is closing soon, and it’s time to get out the cold weather wear. Yep, fall is right around the corner. If you’re like most people, the idea of an end-of-summer cleanup can be daunting. No worries. We’ve put together a helpful guide to get you started!

End-of-Summer Cleanup

Stop and Look at What You have

The place to start your end-of-summer cleanup is to take a look at what you have. Schedule an hour or so to survey what you need to clean. There are plenty of end-of-summer cleanup checklists online. Here’s one we published last year. Whether you download a checklist or create your own, take the time to inventory what needs cleaned and prioritize it.

For example, most end-of-summer and fall checklists include cleaning the BBQ grill; but, what if you don’t have one, didn’t use the one you have very much, or your partner cleaned it last week? In any of those cases, cleaning the grill would be a low priority.

Of course, if your family loves to garden and you put out flowers and vegetables, then cleaning your garden tools could be a top priority. No checklist will precisely fit your family and your needs, so it’s essential you schedule time to create a personal end-of-summer cleanup checklist.

Make a Plan 

Now that you have an idea of your end-of-summer cleanup needs and priorities, it’s time to plan. Start by listing your cleanup priorities, and then give each action a realistic time to complete. For example, if your lawnmower hasn’t been cleaned in a year, it could take two hours to clean. At the same time, if you recently updated your master bath, it might only need a 30-minute wipe down (with BKF, of course).

Oh, and another thing to remember: don’t try to do all the cleaning yourself! Enlist the family or some friends (if they’re really good friends, of course). One of the best ways to do this is to involve your family in the planning, sit down at the kitchen table with your checklist and ask for volunteers, “So, who wants to clean the patio furniture?” If you get no volunteers, you can always assign tasks or use what’s called a choice of positives. “So, Evan, would you rather clean the garage or the windows?”

Pro Tip: When you make the plan, I think you’ll find it’s not a one-day task. It could be a week-long adventure.

Gather Supplies Before You Begin

With your checklist and plan in hand, make a supply list and fill it before starting your end-of-summer cleanup. Are the stainless-steel kitchen appliances on your list? If so, grab some BKF Stainless Steel Cleaner & Polish, a non-abrasive sponge, and a microfiber cloth. Is cleaning the BBQ grill on your list? Then be prepared with a grill brush (if you don’t have one, wad up a ball of aluminum foil), drop cloth (for the grate), a nylon brush or scrub pad, gloves, and Bar Keepers Friend Cleanser.

Whether it’s indoor cleanup (such as scrubbing the kitchen, deep cleaning the boy’s bathroom), or outdoors (cleaning everything on the patio), Bar Keepers Friend can help. If you’re not sure what to clean with BKF products, you can check out our handy “What to Clean” guide here.

Make Your End-of-Summer Cleanup Work for You 

The end-of-summer cleanup doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Take a survey, make a plan, gather your supplies, and don’t forget the Bar Keepers Friend.


About the Author

Randy Clark - Headshot

Randy Clark is a speaker, coach, and author. He publishes a weekly blog at Randy Clark Leadership.com. Randy is passionate about social media, leadership development, and flower gardening. He’s a beer geek and on weekends (after COVID-19) he can be found fronting the Rock & Roll band Under the Radar. He’s the proud father of two educators; he has four amazing grandchildren and a wife who dedicates her time to helping others. Randy is the author of the Amazon bestseller The New Manager’s Workbook a crash course in effective management.

 

 

 

 

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