The first day of Spring is quickly approaching – March 20th! Whether you have an hour or a weekend to spare, get your home ready for the season with the checklist below.
1. Inspect Your Home for Any Winter Damage
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- Once winter storms have passed, carefully inspect the exterior of your home and make repairs as needed. If you had an ice dam on your roof during the winter, now is the time to repair any damage it caused. Check doors and windows for any leaks and broken seals.
2. Start Removing Winter Layers
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- Swap out heavy winter bedding for lighter-weight quilts and coverlets. Also consider changing deep-pile rugs for flat-weave or natural-fiber versions for the warmer months.
3. Refresh Your Entryway
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- As the weather thaws, begin putting away heavy coats and wool hats and make room for those mucky spring boots. Clean or replace the doormat, clear off the hooks (or hangers, if you have a coat closet) and be sure to put out an umbrella holder stocked for spring showers. A clean boot tray lined with river stones will help water drain away from your footwear.
4. Dust Off Mirrors and Table Lamps
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- Use a duster or soft rags to remove dust from table lamps and wipe down mirrors with a damp microfiber cloth. These freshened-up surfaces will enhance the light throughout your space.
5. Clean Up Patio Furniture
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- Outdoor furniture can get really grimy over the winter, so be sure to give everything a good scrubbing before you start using it for the season. Launder washable outdoor cushion covers and replace worn-out pieces if needed.
6. Deep Clean Your Kitchen
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- Give your kitchen a fresh start by cleaning some of the areas we often skip during quick daily tidying: Clean small appliances; wipe grease and grime from the range hood, backsplash and light fixtures; clean grout; and vacuum hard-to-reach places (like under the stove) using an attachment.
7. Make a Garden Plan
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- Sketch out a plan and jot down ideas for this year’s plantings, as well as any ideas you have for changes to the hardscape, like putting in a new path or fence. Start some seeds indoors or pick up seedlings at your local nursery. Check botanical gardens for plant sales too, as these can be great places to find native plants that do especially well in your region.
8. Get Organized for Tax Season
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- The tax-filing deadline isn’t until April 15, but taking care of things this month will make the process a lot less stressful. Sort through paperwork, update your files and gather all important documents in one place.
I hope you find this checklist helpful as we get closer to Springtime weather! Until next month!
Resources: Houzz.com
