This Weekend: Host a Barbecue and Get Ready for Fall
Mark the holiday with a backyard gathering, stock up on essentials and prepare for a new season
If you’re in the market for a big-ticket item — like new appliances or a TV — Labor Day can be a good time to make your purchase, thanks to sales. Patio furniture and grills tend to go on sale around Labor Day as retailers clear out summer stock to make way for fall items. Check your summer gear and see if there’s anything missing you would like to add while the prices are low.
A little spiffing up can do wonders for those cozy fall sweaters and boots. Give sweaters and other knitwear a once-over with a depilling comb, swipe trousers and jackets with a lint roller, and clean shoes and leather accessories. Set aside pieces in need of repair or tailoring. Finish by thoroughly vacuuming the interior of your closet — regular cleaning can discourage clothes moths from taking up residence.
Coming down with a cold or the flu only to realize you have nothing in the house to help ease your symptoms is a major bummer. No one wants to get sick, but having a cupboard well-stocked with your family’s favorite preventative measures and medicines means you’ll be prepared if and when you need them.
While you’re stocking up, consider what other items you’d love having on hand to make you feel better when you’re under the weather, and grab those too: herbal teas, a hot-water bottle and a stack of favorite movies, perhaps?
Buildup of residue from past fires can cause chimney fires, so it’s important to have your chimney cleaned and inspected before you light that first fire in the fall. It takes only a few minutes to make a call and set up an appointment to get this vital task done — and you’ll feel so much better knowing your fireplace is clean and ready to go.
Before You Roast Those Chestnuts, Make Sure You’ve Got a Clean Chimney
Let in that golden late-summer light with fresh, sparkling-clean windows. If you have a lot of glass to cover, consider picking up a squeegee — this simple little tool makes quick, streak-free work of swiping windows clean. A cloudy day is best for preventing streaks, so if it’s hot and sunny, you might want to hold off. And if reaching high windows and exteriors would mean teetering on a tall ladder, call in a pro instead: Your safety is worth the added expense.
Of course we’re not suggesting you give up ice cream entirely until next summer (heaven forbid!), but taking the time to intentionally slow down and savor a favorite frozen dessert is a lovely way to mark the end of the season. Seek out a special seasonal flavor, such as black raspberry or peach, or make a batch of pops to enjoy on the porch as the sun goes down.
If you’re planning to host friends and neighbors for a Labor Day barbecue, hit the stores early over the weekend to avoid crowded parking lots and long lines. Attending a barbecue? Win brownie points by checking in the morning of the fete to see if the host needs anything from the store.
Your turn: What are you looking forward to this weekend? Let us know in the Comments.