4 DIY weekend projects

Don't spend your precious weekend fretting over the messy garage or the overloaded pantry. Maximize your family time with these helpful home organization projects.

Pick a weekend to devote to decluttering your space then relax for a few months without worrying about that part of your to-do list.

A version of this article appeared in our March 2013 issue with the headline "Four easy weekend projects," p. 97.

There’s nothing more satisfying than washing the grit and grime of the winter away. Write your list of tasks on a large piece of Bristol board and post it on the fridge; then line your family up by height, and divvy the chores from smallest to tallest. Younger members of the family can dust coffee and end tables, fluff couch cushions, clean under the beds and the bottom of closets, and wash baseboards. Taller kids can dust higher up, organize cupboards, wash windows and handle the vacuum or mop. Heads of the household have to do double-duty: Not only do they have to help with the dirty work, they also have to look after filing loose paperwork, take care of any repairs, and provide celebratory takeout in the clean kitchen.

With bare legs and refreshing early mornings comes an exciting time of year: garage sale season. Find three old blankets and lay them out on the grass or driveway. Label them “KEEP,” “DONATE” and “TOSS” (just like they do on TV). Sort your stuff accordingly. Remember: If you haven’t used the item in at least a year, it should go. Keep sentimental items, but be conservative; you don’t need to keep every single stuffie your daughter got for her first birthday. Ask the kids to help out. They can choose toys and books to donate to a charity of their choice. When you’re finished, wipe out the cupboards and closets while they are empty and put away “KEEP” items. Then all that’s left is to set your brood up with paper and markers to draw your very own garage sale signs.

Back-to-school time means getting your fridge and cupboards ready for lunches. Start by emptying out the fridge and freezer. Label and date your freezer food. Make sure your food storage containers are all the same shape — commit to round or rectangle for good stacking. Check dates and pitch the expired. For dry goods, transfer pasta and crackers to clear rectangular or square storage containers. You’ll discover more room in your pantry and feel positively Zen from the purge. Get the kids involved by giving them a soapy bowl of water and a sponge and have them wipe down lower cabinets and shelves, then get them to match Tupperware containers with their lids. Finally, find all the items you’ll need to pack lunches: Thermoses, reusable drink containers, etc.

Getting ready for cold weather doesn’t just mean digging out the hats and gloves (though that’s a start). Take a few hours to really investigate your home. Look for cracks around the infastructure; use weather-stripping to seal doors and caulk around windows. Schedule an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace (especially if it has been a few years), and replace your filter. If you have a working fireplace, clean and cap it before animals start looking for a place to hibernate. Finish off the outside by winterizing your garden: Plant spring bulbs before the frost comes, have your trees trimmed if branches have grown too close to your house over the summer, and cover weather-sensitive landscaping.