Average Jane's To-Do List

Now that we've sent out the invitations for our annual party on October 22nd, the countdown has begun for readying the house and grounds.  It's amazing how much work it takes to slap our relatively small house into shape.

Here are the things that absolutely must be done:

• Clean up our office/studio area.  My desk is covered in foot-high stacks of paper, some of which have migrated to the floor around the desk.  The studio is really not that bad, except for the 6-foot long table piled with junk that we established as a temporary place to put stuff while we were cleaning the last time (early this spring, I believe).
• Dredge out our guest room.  We only have two bathrooms and one of them is only accessible through our former guest room, now junk room.  My husband has been filling the room with giant, empty cardboard boxes.  I've been dumping piles of mail in there for months instead of shredding them.  Eventually we may find the stratum containing the air mattress that we really should empty and put away when it's not in use.  Then we'll have won.
• Clean the windows.  At the very least, I need to clean the insides of all our windows.  There's something about being able to look outside that really makes a positive impression on guests.  If I'm really feeling gung-ho (read: not a chance in hell), I'll take down the storm windows and clean them, too.
• Weed the flower beds.  While I'm at it, I think I'll dig up the rose bush that went feral.  I'm tired of it reaching out and snagging me when I walk by.
• Tidy up the deck.  The furniture is filthy, there are sticks and leaves all over the place, and we're going to have to clear everything off to set up the band.
• Clean and paint the main bathroom ceiling.  I always say I'm going to do this before we have a lot of people over, and this time I need to actually do it.  "Disgraceful" really doesn't cover it.

Aside from all that, it wouldn't hurt for me to tidy the kitchen counters and living room surfaces.  I need to do a massive cleanout of my dressing room, but I can always close that one door during the party, if necessary.  However, our goal is to be able to leave all of our interior doors open and not look like we're hiding portions of the house, for once.

Tell me again why I plan these parties?

Comments

[cagey]

You plan the party so you will clean your house, right?

[Suzanne]

I was thinking the very same thing, cagey.

Enjoy your party, Jane. :)