Thinking ahead to List Week/Front Porch Week...

[AuntJamelle]

I can't believe it is only 16 days until the HGP officialy kicks off!

I am looking forward to the challenge! And I am also trying to do things now that will make my life easier then. :grin:

I've reviewed the List/Front Porch week material on the HGP website:

http://organizedchristmas.com/holiday-grand-plan/list-week

There are ALOT of lists to get together during this week of HGP. Thankfully, I've got several of them already started. Master Gift List, etc.

How does everyone else do it? Do you wait until that week to start all of those lists? Or are they a work in progress with special focus paid that week?

I've also made a "to do" list that fits my own front porch, using the items listed on the website as a foundation.

One thing I love, and that I've carried over into my list for every week of the HGP is the very first item listed for the Front Porch.

"Gather Supplies"

I've added that step for every room on my HGP list, with all supplies needed for completing that room listed.

Alot of them are the same, but for some rooms you may want a step ladder handy, for others perhaps a warm bucket of soapy water will be needed.

I don't know about you, but buckets are in short supply around our house thanks to DH's constant projects.

Thinking ahead, I'll be able to find, clean out and "hide" an appropriate bucket before the time it is needed. Thus avoiding a minor aneurysm from having to stop my cleaning momentum to find and clean out a bucket.

I've spotted several potential "snaffoos" to my HGP efforts by adding and thinking about that Gathering Supplies step to every week.

Maybe this was intuitive for everyone else, but for me it was a little ephinany. :haha:

How about everyone else? What are you doing now or thinking about now that will help you once HGP begins?

I personally need all the help I can get!

:flower:

 

[sallyj08]

I've been going around the house, room by room, de-junking. It will be much easier to deep clean and paint if I don't have to sort through a bunch of junk. My lists are pretty much the same from year-to-year so I don't have much to do on that end. I really can't wait to officially get started!

 

[HouseElf]

I re-use the same lists each year, however, this year I am missing a side 'porch' (we are in the middle of big renovations) so PAINT is a big item for the porch by that week. The front enclosed porch needs new wood siding, paint and... (curtains, a new sofa, reupholster of dining chairs and paint for the sideboard, plus sewing of curtains and plants, candles :slap: ) My DH will need to fix the front fence that week too, it comes up to the porch.

We are planting the hedge and beds NEXT spring :flower:

I like to keep my cleaning supplies in a caddy. I have one for each level of our home - WFM. I love clipboards and clear sheet protectors so my lists can travel around the house with me, helps keep the abuse of my notebook low !

This year (new) on my list is taking photo's (for insurance and inventory purposes) of the rooms as we finish them! That is one item I am planning to put together to start using for that week, a home binder/ablum, a "what is what" and "what is where".

 

[Deckr8r]

Smart idea houseElf to take pictures for insurance purposes. I need to do that for all of my Christmas decorations, a lot of money invested there and I would want to try to replace them.....but then all my decluttering would be done and my family wouldn't nag me anymore....oh darn it, I'd be between a rock and a hard place. I think my love for making Christmas special would win out.

Anyway I am getting excited about starting the HGP. :grin:

 

[Cathymac]

I want to paint our front porch this year..it needs it badly. I've asked DH to pick up the paint for me BEFORE the big day...he can get it at a discount, so he'll need to do it. Everything else is pretty well set for the front porch...now the back porch is another issue. It's awful, thanks to two little boys and their two little dogs...nasty. I need to get that area cleaned off and possibly painted..but if I don't get it painted it'll still be ok, it's not too bad. I want new cushions on the furniture out there, too, so I'll be looking at the budget to see if I can make that work. I can't find the vintagy looking ones I have in mind, but I did find fabric, so my mom has agreed to make them! :flower:

I don't know if I'll get it all done, but my mantra is still "even a little progress is better than none!" The great thing about the HGP is that I don't have many of the rooms listed, so I have lots of wiggle room. And, the weather typically stays nice here through the fall and almost into December, so I should have plenty of time to get it done..I just need to schedule it so that it WILL get done!

 

[cmerth]

The thing I will need to most for our front porch is the water hose and the sprayer attachment. We live fairly rural and my porch is covered in a fine layer of dirt. I will even spray off my welcome mat.

 

[SparkleNana]

List Week/Front Porch Week! Yay! I found tulip and daffadill bulbs for sale today in WalMart. ANOTHER sign that the seasons are changing -- or getting ready to change! Won't those flowers look nice around the front porch next spring? :flower:

 

[Cathymac]

Lovely, SparkleNana...reminds me that I want to plant some bulbs, too..tulip, iris and daffodil...thanks, I'll add this to my list. I nearly forgot!

 

[aggy]

My lists were done in advance. I just need to focus on the cleaning part. I've bought all the supplies needed to get started. This weekend will be all about the laundry as I have a ton of clothes that need to be washed. I didn't realize that I had so many pieces of clothing (LOL). What I don't plan on wearing anymore this season will be packed away.

 

[christmas3]

I have started on the Front porch/Back porch already. We have a cookout this weekend and I had to do some cleaning on the back porch and I went on and swept the front porch and cleaned one window. I still have plenty to do that week but at least I have that done.

Christmas3
ackage: ackage: ackage:

 

[dreamto]

We have been working on landscaping the front of the house. So this week is right in line with what we are doing anyway. :grin:

Maybe I'll get it done early and get a head start onm some other area. tonight I plan on reading over the plan and deciding in what order I will do which rooms. I will be going out of town again in Sept so that will throw me off a little. But I'll make it farther than last year. LOL That is my goal heehee.

Bonnie

 

[wantabe]

We are having a party at our house this weekend, so I will be trying to get the house company ready this week! A lot of work and not much time left. We purchased a new Bistro set for the front porch--now we just need to clean off the extra stuff and clean the rest!

 

[dreamto]

I jumped ahead and started on my front porch today....until the bees started to attack!!!! :help:

No kidding one silly bee decided he didnt like me sweeping, so after me he went, there I was running (ok fast walking ) around the house trying to leave him behind....then he got tangled in my hair which REALLY ticked him off :help: :help: Thankfully my DH was there to help me get him out of my hair.....literally!!!! Then the mad bee went after my DH!!!

Good thing it isn't the weekend or the neighbors would have had a good laugh at our expense. I can just see us out there swatting and dodging :rotflol:

So we went in the house to let him vent his frustrations and forget abt us. After abt 30 min we decided to try again. this time we were at the side of the house and got attacked again!!!!!

My DH got attacked 3X and I was attacked 2X. Sadly we are going to have to do something abt those bees :frown:
We have tried to find someone to take them but no one wants them. We are just going to have to resort to "the spray" ;-(

I said all that to let you all know that, tho I started early, I didn't get much done LOL. Thats OK I have 2 weeks to finish LOL

 

[christmas3]

I have been working on my front porch today and yesterday. I have washed half of my banister rail and I think I am going to paint that half this afternoon. I will not be about to get to the other half till Friday. I have a Doctor's appt. Thrusday at 1:20, right in the middle of the day. I hate it when that happens. I hope I can get the clean half all painted this afternoon.

Christmas3
ackage: ackage: ackage:

 

[liltattoo]

I haven't had a chance to do this yet but was thinking this would be a good way to see if your neighbors are on here. If you're all outside working on your front porch at the same time, chances are...they visit MHH!

 

[SparkleNana]

That is a cute idea, liiltattoo. Peeking around to see who else is working on their front porch.

It would be really nice to repaint our front door. It has been painted a number of different colors over the years, and it would need to taken off the hinges and sanded. It would look great! BUT -- it is just too much to do this year. Just because I can think of something does not mean that I have to do it. In fact, I cannot do it this year. But I can clean the porch, and trim back the rose bushes and sweet autumn clemantis (which are both blooming now). AND - wash the little windows at the top of the door. (The porch is just a front stoop, really.)

The rest of the week -- I can do all sorts of end-of-summer-clean up in the yard. And work on my Christmas notebook. And deal with life in general.

 

[Lana]

Our front porch has plants on it and we hang out a banner, have a goose on there that I just got from Grandmas but have to get some clothes yet for it. There aren't any steps to it. I need to wash down the few boards that make the little porch, wash the big windows (front room) that is there (and screens) and knock down the wasp nest and swallow nest. It is actually like a reset area and goes straight across with the front of the house. We have a hummingbird feeder there.