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Fall is an ideal time to spruce up your home, I especially love decorating my home for fall, but before I do all the ‘fun’ stuff, I make time for household tasks that make shifting into winter a lot more pleasant.

A lot of attention is given to Spring Cleaning, but some tasks that seem to be only once a year tasks should be done more often.  You spend a considerable amount of time indoors when the weather cools down, so the more you do now to create a clean and comfy space, the more enjoyable it will be to be indoors.

Wash all Windows – Windows build up a lot of dirt and grime during the summer. Washing windows inside and out will brighten up your house and give fresh perspective. Use glass cleaner, or one squirt of dish-washing liquid in a spray bottle filled with water and wipe down. Pick a cloudy day so you can better see any streaks.

Vacuum and/or Wash Blinds – If you have metal/plastic blinds you can either wipe them down with a damp cloth or take them completely off and hose them down outside.  This is my preferred method, and with some warm temperatures still around, they will dry and be ready to put back up in no time.  If you are taking the time to wash your windows, take the time to clean your blinds too!  If you have fabric blinds, vacuum with a brush attachment while they are hanging.

Clean out Entry Coat closet – Take some time to clear out the junk that unknowingly seems to accumulate in this area!  You will want to have a handy place to keep heavier coats, gloves, hats, scarves and umbrellas and it will be much easier to retrieve these items if clutter is gone.

Clean and Store Summer Clothing – It is time to pull out the winter clothing and put items through a washing cycle if need be.  Put away summer shorts, tank tops and sandals.  It will be so much easier to get dressed without those items clogging up your closet.

Clean Carpeting and Floors - Move furniture and vacuum beneath and behind it, enlist the help of other family members to move end tables and chairs.  Getting underneath items will reduce the amount of dust that will end up circulating in your house, it is amazing how much can accumulate.

Vacuum Upholstered Furniture – Take all the cushions and pillows off chairs and sofas and thoroughly vacuum – you will be amazed at what you might find underneath those cushions – I know I have been!

Flip Mattresses – Turn mattresses front-to-back and end-to-end to equalize wear, while you are at it you can wash the mattresses pad/cover too.

Sweep the Chimneys - Have the wood-burning fireplace and chimneys professionally inspected and swept.  You will want to know they are ready for fall/winter use.

Lastly, instead of storing summer articles that you may be thinking of getting rid of, this is a perfect time to list them on Trading Cradles and get a little fall spending money.  Children’s clothing, toys and outdoor play equipment will find a new home and you will be happy to not store them all winter!

For a great FREE Fall Cleaning List, check out the one at Living Locurto, get all your tasks written down in one place.  For more free printables to get your home organized, check out Life Your Way too.

Post written by Susan Heid…

Susan Heid is the mom behind The Confident Mom where she loves inspiring  moms to make small changes managing their home and family life giving them more time, less stress and stronger family relationships! She enthusiastically wears the hat of mom, step-mom and foster mom to 4 awesome kids – ages 18, 14, 10 and 17 months; is married to her very own prince charming, loves coffee, cloudy days, and does think the bluest skies you’ve ever seen are in Seattle.  Her FREE 5 part mini series: “The Opening Act” is helping moms worldwide become the calm mom they want to be!  Join the community of moms on Facebook or find her @ConfidentMom on Twitter.

Parenting a beautiful little baby can be a challenge because they can’t talk yet and explain to us what they need or what they are experiencing. Over the years I’ve taken notes on  ‘baby’s body language’ that seemed to follow a pattern or that was common in each of my children, and in other baby’s that I cared for, these little things may help you understand what your baby might need. These notes are mostly for 0-6 months old.

Making a fist with thumbs tucked in: If your baby is crying a lot or acting like he/she is uncomfortable, and is also holdin his thumbs in while making a fist, this can mean that he or she has a tummy ache of some kind and needs relief. Patting his back while holding him over our shoulder or rubbing his tummy can work wonders.

Crying: There are different reasons of course for a baby’s cry, and as long as he/she doesn’t seem sick or in pain, though we stress over crying a lot, we need to realize that it is simply the way they communicate. There may not be something terribly wrong. Sometimes the answer is simple, a lot of times baby could simply be thirsty, and need a bit of water, other times I’ve notice they just need a change of scenery, and they will be happy in another room, or another setting. Singing a pretty little song, or talking to them, changing their diaper, showing them the pictures in colourful book, or taking them for a walk outside can also do the trick.

When nursing: When your baby sounds like he/she can’t catch his/her breath or like he/she is gulping really fast, allow him/her a little break to catch his/her breath and take a moment to pause, and let him/her latch on again when he/she wants to.

Rubbing  or covering eyes: Some baby’s will rub their eyes just cause they are itchy, and sometimes they do that because they are tired, but there is not need to worry that there is something wrong with their eyes. I had one child who would always cover his eyes, and I wondered if there was something wrong, but that was just a way of expression for him, and for some baby’s it just their way of saying something. More often then not, baby’s will rub there eyes when they are getting a little tired.

Arching their back: This is one way a baby says something is wrong. Either they don’t like the position they are in,  or they are board, or sometimes they have gas in their tummy. It’s very common for baby’s to arch their back when they have uncomfortableness in their tummy, but sometimes it is because they do not agree with something that is being done to them or with them. Changing the activity or situation may help. If it is gas you can do simple exercises to relieve the tension. Lifting their legs up to their chest, or lay them on their tummy and allowing their bottom to elevate up to the air also helps. Simply rubbing their tummy can also help them feel better.

Grunting: Some baby’s grunt because they feel uncomfortable, and some because they need comfort or reassurance. If it’s the latter one, besides hugging, kissing and cuddling, a lot of baby’s love to grasp or grip your finger, especially when baby’s are new born they love to know you are there by holding on to your little finger.

It’s very beneficial for your baby if you talk to them at every opportunity, they love the sound of your voice, they have been hearing it from since they were in your tummy, and they love to hear you talk to them, its very comforting for them.

If your baby is showing body language or behaviors  that you’re unsure about you should consult with your doctor. Most likely everything is fine but its better to be safe than sorry.

With love and excellence for our children!
Crystal (Cryssy)