It’s that time of the year again. The days are getting longer and warmer, grass starts getting greener… Well, it’s time to do some home maintenance.
1. Set-up outdoor furniture. If you had to put your outdoor furniture in storage for the winter, now is the time to get it out. If you had it out for the whole winter, it’s a good time to give it a good cleaning. A fast way to get rid of the layers of dust is to use a leaf blower. Check your patio furniture cushions – they might need a washing.
2. Tune-up a lawn mower and clean the grill. When was the last time you’ve tuned your lawn mower and checked your gas grill? Sharpening the blades and changing motor oil will prolong the functional life of your lawn mover. Use a mild scouring pad and a cleaner to remove grease and corrosion off your grill.
3. Clean windows. Let the natural light brighten your home. Remove any excess dirt or dust from the outside windows with a garden hose. Rinse one window at a time, so that water spots don’t dry on the windows. Consider hiring a window cleaning service (many house cleaning services offer these services), especially if you have multilevel house. What might take you a couple of days, a cleaning company will do in a few hours.
4. Clean gutters. You’ll need: a ladder, gloves, a container to gather the debris such as a bag or bucket, a garden trowel or small hand rake, and the hose. Remove the debris from one section and hose it down with water. The same as with the windows, consider hiring a professional company or a handyman to do this for you, especially if you are not comfortable climbing a ladder.
5. Clean siding. Use a pressure washer or a regular hose with a cleaning attachment to wash the exterior of your house. 8. Have air conditioning serviced. While you can do some maintenance (changing filters, cleaning foils, removing debris around the unit, etc.) yourself, it might be better to leave it to the professionals.
6. Season swap of towels and bedding. Now that the spring is here, consider going with a set of “spring” towels and sheets. Spring calls for softer color palettes, so make sure your bed evokes the season by choosing bed sheets, duvets and comforter sets designed with printed flowers, small birds and nature-themed designs, or sheets and bed covers in solid pastels, such as yellow, sky blue, mint green or light pink.
7. Declutter your house. Get the stuff you don’t need out of your home. Donate, give away, sell, or trash – whatever works for you. If you haven’t used it for a while, you won’t miss it.
