The best start is a good finish
- Karen Wilson: Family Corner
- May 22, 2022
- 942
So how did you spend the first few nice, warm days this year? Did you put your boat in the water or start getting the yard in order? Or did you search for your misplaced life jacket and try to find the rake? Was the day filled with joy or frustration?
The best way to start a new season is to finish that season well the year before.
This time of year makes it obvious, sometimes painfully. For me, instead of doing a bit of tidying and then getting seeds and plants in the ground to start my garden, I had to do considerable cleanup first this year. Most of it should have been done at the end of the gardening season last year, but I let the opportunity get away from me.
So how has the spring and summer transition gone for you? Did you find all your gardening tools in neat order and good repair? Was the lawn mower stored properly so it was ready to take on the grass when the first nice day arrived? Were repairs done like sharpening blades? Were things put away so the items that would be needed first were the easiest to reach?
Did you restock supplies that had been depleted or make a list of what would require replacing? Did you put a reminder on your calendar to check the list and make the purchases?
Did you make notes of what needed to be done over the winter, like ordering seeds? If equipment needed serious repair, did you set aside time during the cold months to get it done? Did you do research and planning so you could start new projects right away?
What about recreational supplies? Were tackle boxes cleaned out? Did you store your boat or kayak to ensure it would be ready for the next season? Do you have a checklist so you have everything you need the first time out?
If you see tasks you wish you had done at the end of last season, make a list now. Set a reminder so you know to review the list in time to accomplish those things at the end of the season next time.
How are you doing on transitions at other times of the year? How long did it take to put your Christmas decorations away? Did you set aside time to do so? Do you have a date by which you expect to have everything stored? Do you put things away so they will be easy to pull out the next year? Are the tree decorations separate from the others in case you decide to do the tree at a different time than the rest of the house?
What about seasonal clothing? I keep everything accessible in my closet because I find it easier to have fewer things than to change things out, but if you do store clothing away for various seasons, do you have a system? Do you keep track of items that need replacement so you can take advantage of end-of-season sales?
Ending a season well isn’t usually as much fun as getting one started, but putting in the time at the end of the season will help to make the season start glorious.
I’m making a point of putting tasks for winterizing my garden on my calendar now.