Happy warm weather to all! If you've been to one of my workshops, you know I talk a lot about using seasons to nautrally set the organizing and cleaning schedules for you and your household. My friend Lindsay O. jokingly called this way of thinking "Julie's Cleaning Zen," and the name stuck. I like maintaining my home with these principles in mind because it puts me and my family back in touch with nature a little bit, while getting things done! Summer is a great time to do outside maintenance and cleaning. Don't procrastinate, though; you don't want to wait until it's so hot that you can't stand to be outside! Instead, get a jumpstart on your cleaning by taking care of these summer tasks early.

Gutters. Use a ladder to reach the gutter, and then remove leaves and twigs with a gutter scoop, a garden trowel, or by hand. Then, use a hose to remove dirt and other small debris. Spray the entire length of the gutter. Finally, spray water into the downspouts to make sure that they aren't clogged. If they are, spray water into the opening, but don't use too much pressure; you don't want to damage them.

Sliding Doors and Windows. Summer is the best time to clean your sliding glass doors and windows, as well as shutters and screens. Before you begin washing windows, remove the screens, and clean them separately. Then, use the hose (or a broom) to remove spider webs, leaves, and other debris. Next, use window cleaner (or dish soap and warm water works okay too) to wash the glass and then rinse thoroughly. Finally, dry the windows.

Decks and Siding. Use a deck cleaner (available at most home improvement stores) and a scrub brush or broom to scrub the deck clean, and then rinse it thoroughly. Use the hose to spray down siding and then touch up the paint if necessary.

Driveways, Sidewalks, and Patio. To clean your driveway, use a broom or scrub brush with soap and water (dishwashing detergent also works well). To remove grease stains, commercial grease remover work best. For sidewalks and patio, you can usually spray them down with a hose and then sweep them periodically as needed.

That's a start to my checklist for Summer Cleaning Zen. Check back soon for more!