Cleaning lights for light

Outside is darkening. Brightening the inside is the task for today.

Cleaning all ceiling lights. Dusting and wiping them will improve use of the electricity I pay so dearly for. That means removing blanket dust and remnants of summer bugs. There was much more to clean than expected. Amazing what is around me that I never see, never look at, never use.

After dusting the ceiling lights in living room, hallway and kitchen, I even managed to take down the wide glass ceiling light above my bed. Even more bravely, I managed to reassemble it again, dropping the tiny screws only once. I dusted and wiped all the lightbulbs too (without touching them with my bare hands). All worked again afterwords and it made a great difference for a few minutes work. 
The large branded and expensive light that doesn’t fit into this apartment but that I really do not want to get rid off, also got a dusting and a new plastic cover. One day I will live somewhere where it will be used.

I still have not figured out how to get into the lights in the bathroom cabinet so I just dusted it on the outside. The day one of the bulbs go I’ll get to it with all tools needed. But I can open the kitchen fan to clean the cover and dust the bulbs as well as the under-the-cupboard counter lights, so that I did. 

While dusting all other lights, by desk, bed, window and the sofa, I enjoy the ugly blue hanging plastic ball with twinkling colourful lights inside. It was gifted this week by the trash goddesses and I hung it in the living room window as a winter decoration. 🥶 I’ll probably donate it back this spring/soon but it gives me giggles every time I see it. It is so ugly! Gives me joy! I dusted the two unconnected and purely decorative table lights also waiting for a different apartment to come back into use (and electricity prices to come down to turn on purely decorative lights).

I also dusted and checked the lights above the book shelves that I almost never use and pulled the plug on the lights I really never use. A simple safety measure.

I have a solar powered emergency light that I keep charged. I use it in my reading chair in the morning as I can hang it around my neck to read while still being able to see the sunrise and morning light appearing outside.

I charge the emergency flash light too, and all the remaining power banks in the emergency drawer while I’m in it. They seem to still hold a charge but how much effect they actually will give can only be discovered if there ever is a longer power failure (again). I feel good being a bit prepared.

NOTE TO SELF: You need to check the lights on the bicycles. I should take them in from the bike shed to charge them fully.

To bring more daylight inside, I am also cleaning all the windows (four double so 16 sheets of glass) and at the same time, all mirrors in the house (4 large, 3 handheld). It takes about 50 minutes from start to finish and is a monthly task. I sometimes cheat but now it has been three months since the last time so the need is dire and the effect dramatic. It is however convenient to live in a small-ish apartment.

What else falls into the light category? 

Candles: I have more than 50 tea lights in storage, enough for this winter, and at least two large block candles with many hours left in them. They are all clean with fitting holders and ready to be used when needed or wanted.

I still have not bought lamp oil for the little kerosene light. I really miss my large glass-bowled kerosene light that I could read by,  but I will probably never be able to snatch it back or replace it. Bygones.

Instead I found the two lanterns with battery operated candles I rescued out of a trash box last year. I took the dodgy one apart and fixed the loose connection so it works again with batteries I bought in the spring sale. I rarely turn them on but they are added to the winter decorations.

Going through all this I found nothing I needed to replace or add; although I really should consider a stepladder. I am gaining in years and climbing on chairs just isn’t safe practice. Nothing urgent but definitely a future need. Otherwise I have no needs and no wants, nothing that I need to spend money on.  

And after all that cleaning I just want to sit down to rest with a book.