Not everyone is like me. My wife would say “Thank God for that!” But I’m a list maker and planner and prefer to map out what I need to do today, tomorrow, next week, next month and so on. She, on the other hand, usually relies on her memory or some random notes scribbled down on a scrap of paper. Personally, I couldn’t live that way.
I need to plan ahead. I know the good book talks about how man makes his plans and then God has the final say. But the Maker has a sense of humor and He lets me go ahead and make my “to do” lists … then He does what’s best for me despite myself. We’ve come to an agreement that we’ll operate together this way. Making lists helps me feel more at ease.
To keep things flowing smoothly around the house and property I’ve created a series of seasonal checklists. As we prepare to enter each new season – winter, spring, summer and fall – I pull out my appropriate checklist and work my way through it making sure that our home, equipment and land are ready for what’s to come.
Having the tiller tuned up and full of fresh gasoline in the spring makes prepping for the garden a much more enjoyable experience when the soil is ready. The same holds true for the wood furnace come fall.
And as of last count we have 19 different vehicles or pieces of equipment with a gas or diesel engine. They range from a string trimmer to a huge row crop diesel cab tractor we use for moving big hay bales. In the middle of that range is five tractors and five vehicles ranging from a 1948 Farmall tractor that belonged to my grandpa all the way up to my wife’s nearly new luxury car.
If you have a house or cabin or camper on your property, then there are upkeep tasks that must be attended to from time to time. Roofs and heating and cooling systems, well pumps and septic tanks are not made to last or operate forever without some occasional attention.
And if you happen to own livestock of some sort then there’s both animal husbandry and shelter to be considered.
To that end, here’s my combined spring/ summer checklists that I rely on to be ready when the April showers bring May flowers and eventually July heat (and lots of grass to be mowed and trimmed, garden to be planted and tended, and livestock to be kept healthy), not to mention planning for the next fall hunting season. My list, as well as a few items I’ve added which may not apply to everyone’s situation, is broken down in categories: Home indoor and outdoor, Yard and garden, Garage and equipment.
Here it is:
HOME (Outdoors)
Wash windows and check storm windows
Clean debris from gutters and downspouts
Clean leaves from around central air unit (if applicable)
Hook up garden hoses and check for leaks (including replacing the rubber washers in the female end of all hoses or spray nozzles)
Clean and install window air conditioning units (if applicable)
Check exterior for peeling paint or loose shingles
Treat yard near the house for ants
Top off the wood supply for next winter (so it can be air drying/seasoning in the summer heat)
HOME (Indoors)
Wash windows
Replace central air filters
Shut down humidifier
General spring cleaning of rooms
Turn on water supply to any outside non-frost proof hydrants which was shut off in fall
Clean the ashes in the wood furnace/stove, wipe down interior of fire box with an oily rag to keep rust at bay, brush chimney and make sure cap is in place to keep out birds
Sharpen all kitchen knives
YARD AND GARDEN:
Remove any remaining leaves from lawn
Aerate lawn, fertilize and feed
Clean driveway culvert
Fill cracks and reseal asphalt driveway (if applicable)
Check trees and shrubs for winter damage, trim and fertilize (as applicable)
Prune fruit trees
Check fences and foundations for any freeze/thaw heaving
Inventory and repair tomato cages, bean poles, etc.
Sharpen shovels, spades and pruning shears and replace handles if needed
Test garden soil, good time to add a new layer of compost and turn in with soil if needed
GARAGE AND EQUIPMENT:
Spring clean garage and storage buildings (I tend to clutter in winter months when it’s too cold to work in unheated buildings comfortably. I do the necessary tasks and then get back in the house on cold days)
Check supplies of oil, windshield washer fluid, fuel additives, etc.
Empty or treat gasoline in the generator and tiller
Empty or treat gasoline in chainsaws, clean and sharpen. We occasionally need it for a downed limb in summer, but most of our wood cutting happens in winter (which is addressed in the fall/winter checklist).
Replace spark plug, change oil, grease, sharpen blades and check belts on lawn mowers (if not done in fall before storing for winter)
Replace spark plug, change oil, grease and sharpen tines on tiller (if not done in fall before storing for winter)
Check and lube or repair controls on all outdoor equipment
Empty or treat gasoline in snowblower, wash off before storage
Clean snow shovels and coat with light oil before storage
Wash undercarriage of vehicles to remove any road salt or winter residue
Check windshield washer fluid and other fluids, including coolant in vehicles.
Tune up (oil and filter change, grease, check tire pressure, etc.) tractors which will be seeing use in the summer months
*This list is in no way everything that might be necessary, based on your personal situation. But it is a starting point that you can add to or subtract from as needed to formulate your own seasonal reminders.
Looking at the entire list can seem overwhelming, but I start working my way through the spring checklist items in early March and usually don’t finish until sometime in May. And if you didn’t get the necessary items done by then, refer to the old saying “better late than never.”
I go the extra step of noting the items as “dry day” or “any day” tasks. That way if we have a rainy day and I find myself with a couple hours to kill I can simply look down the list and find an “any day” task to do inside the house or outbuildings.
At the start of this article I referenced the Bible. In it the wise King Solomon said it this way, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under Heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)
While I’m no authority on biblical specifics, I suspect ole Solomon was a “to do” list maker, too.
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