Closing Checklist

CLOSING WATCH ISLAND and LOWER HOUSE

Generally speaking, it is the cleaning at the end of the summer inside the house that sets us up well for a swift opening the next season. Hence you will see a lot of washing in the list. If closing is being done in a compressed time period, some of this could be forgone for another year.

Kitchen

  • Defrost the old refrigerator (newer one is self defrost and can run until the end).

  • Refrigerators wipe clean and unplug, prop doors open when empty and off. If doors are left closed all winter the interiors grow very moldy.

  • Sort out food to dispose of, food to keep

  • Dry goods into storage (freezer bin)

  • Liquid bottles (not alcohol) onto a baking tray, in case of bursting from freezing. Can stay on a shelf over winter. Alcohol does not freeze.

  • If you have time/energy give the floor a thorough scrub, use Ajax or Comet to get off that surface layer of grub!

  • Flip top plates, glasses to protect from mice, spiders and dust

  • Dispose of compost, trash, recycling, burn paper

  • 2 units of mouse poison out; in shelf area and on counter near stove.

  • When you leave, cover the kitchen table with an old sheet to protect from spiders etc. This makes opening next year easier with instantly clean table.

House interior

  • Wash all used bed linens and towels prior to last night. Your last night’s sheets and towels can be folded up and put away with the others, damp towel can hang on the stair rail overwinter.

  • All linens, towels, bed covers, pillows and mattress pads are stored in the large linen closet, clean and dry.

  • Curtains are swept free of spiders, and washed as needed. The curtains for each room are folded and stored in a bureau drawer in their room in a plastic bag with a softener sheet to deter mice.

  • Bureau scarves and used dish towels are washed and stored in the third drawer down of the bureau in the central room downstairs.

  • Blankets upstairs are stored in metal trash can. Any more than will fit in the can, go down for storage in the linen closet.

  • Remove all mattress pads, wash as needed and store in linen closet. Bare mattresses are covered with a colored cover sheet to protect from mice droppings, dust and spiders.

  • Small area rugs are washed as needed. Rolled up dry and stored in a plastic bag with a softener sheet. Rug pads are rolled up too.

  • Mouse poison out: one in each room on an index card in plain sight, two in kitchen (or more)

  • Cover the kitchen table with plastic lined cloths (makes the opening an instant clean table!)

  • Close bedroom doors, in case squirrels or mink enter the house, this will hinder them from having the entire house to mess up.

  • Deck table cloth scrub clean. Dry and fold to store on top of the small fridge

  • Deck walk section (to bedroom), remove and store inside.

  • Deck chairs and tables stacked and stored inside the house.

  • Cover the sofa and chairs in the living room to protect against sunlight etc.

  • Latch all windows and doors against possible intruders.

  • Laundry lines unhook and coil up to hang at house end

  • Outdoor chairs, hammock into skiffhouse

House utilities, just prior to leaving

  • Composter fan unplug and remove, realign the vent pipe for winter

  • Cover toilet hole with plastic bag, under seat, to prevent stink from filling the house.

  • Unplug and remove sump pump

  • Apply microbial mix into composter, the powder with instructions on shelf in bathroom. This will help the digestion over winter, but is not absolutely necessary.

  • rake cone inside composter bin

  • Main switch for water pump off, at pumphouse.

  • Water heater switch off at electric panel box in kitchen

  • Island power off, at top of electric panel box in kitchen

Island commons

  • Tennis courts (Lindley Bay): net and tapes up and into storage, tarps installed. Coordinate day/time with Fran and John Mallery well ahead of departure.

  • Small boats, toys, gear, shampoo box, mirror, and chairs into skiffhouse.

  • Skiff slide out, secure for winter

  • Launch house floating dock remove and store inside launchouse, tied so this will not float away in high water storm, nor collide into docks.

  • Little whaler hoist into storage in launch house, lower unit drain and add oil, propeller and battery into house (has been stolen in the past).

  • Lock or secure doors of skiffhouse, skiffhouse room, launch house against possible intruders. Lower the launchouse main boat entry door just before you leave and tie shut.

Main Motor Boat: Check with Boat Captain (Tish), arrangements have been made in advance for winter storage of the big whaler, so that the last person off the island will deliver boat to dock for the winter.

Plumbing: the draining and winterizing of the plumbing is done by Charlie Smith, who needs to be told when we are done for the summer (Josh). If there are any special needs re the plumbing, leave him a note on the kitchen table. Major plumbing concerns; consider contacting him to come by for a visit and look at the issue in person before you leave.