Sep 07 2009
Laboring at Home on Labor Day
Today is Labor Day. A day to reflect on the struggles of the American worker of yesteryear and to savor the fruits of our own labor. Now, I enjoy a day off from work as much as the next girl but I chose to spend this Labor Day, the 115th anniversary of the holiday, working at home.
I woke up early with a list of to-dos to get started on. After a breakfast of a spinach and cheddar omelet I headed out for a morning walk to clear my head and get ready for the day. When I returned home I tackled the list. First on my plate, a kitchen scrubdown. The oven and stovetops were cleaned and left sparkling. The sink drains were refreshed by pouring 1/2 cup of baking soda and 1/2 cup of white vinegar down them. I covered the drains for a few minutes while the mixture did its magic. Then I poured boiling water down the drains to clear them. My refrigerator was next. I emptied the entire contents and wiped down the shelves and bins with warm, soapy water. I then threw away any expired or outdated items.
Second on my list were the windows. Using a squeegee and a mixture of 1 tablespoon of dishwasher powder and 1 gallon of water, I got busy making my view of the world crystal clear. Since I was washing windows I thought it a great time to launder my curtains and drapes. Woolite and a handwashing worked wonders.
Last on my list for the day was organizing my closet. At the start of fall I like to clear out the summer apparel and replace with cool weather wear. Today I went a step further by making a donation box. Anything I won’t be using again will be sent off to the Goodwill next weekend. After an hour I had a clean, organized closet that was ready for the cool season ahead.
Using this Labor Day to work on homekeeping was the best thing I could have done. My home is clean and comfortable and I will be able to enjoy the upcoming weekends rather than working through them.
