Spring is in the Air: How to Prepare Your Home for Spring

Even though we are still experiencing nippy weather and piles of snow in Maine, Spring is officially here! HURRRAAAY! We’re all more than ready for the warmer temperatures and longer days ushered in by the equinox. 

Spring is a lively time; we begin to feel reinvigorated as we gratefully emerge from the deep, sleepy chill of winter.  It’s a period of renewal, revival and... cleaning! Spring cleaning is a beautiful tradition which not only prepares us for the summer and autumn months, but also celebrates our reawakening. 

This week, we’ll be sharing a list of tips to guide you through a rewarding Spring cleaning/maintenance routine.  Get ready to give your home some attention and whip it into shape!

Exterior:

As anyone in New England can tell you, our houses take a beating from all the snow storms during the long, winter months.  Once the ice begins to thaw, here are a few things to give some TLC:

• Your roof.  Replace any missing shingles and repair any damaged ones.  Examine flashing around vents, chimneys, and roof edges.  Remove any debris, such as fallen branches or dead leaves, and clean out your gutters so that water (from all that melting snow!) can drain properly.
• Your siding. Check to see how your siding has weathered the winter storms.  Take care of any parts which have been heavily affected.  If you have brick or masonry, brush the surface clean and then reseal it.  If appropriate, give your exterior a wash and a paint touch up as well.
• Your windows and doors. Inspect caulking and weather stripping and repair if need be.  Take out, wash, and store storm windows.  Replace with screens, patching as necessary.  Clean out basement window wells.
• The trees around your house. For safety, cut back any branches hanging too close to your home.
• Your decks, porches, balconies, and fencing. Check for solidity, loose or popping nails, missing boards, and rot damage.  

Interior:

Cleaning up the aftermath of a winter cooped up indoors can feel overwhelming, to say the least.  As temperatures rise and the days elongate, spending time outdoors can seem far more appealing than tackling extensive cleaning projects indoors.  Read on for tips to make the process go smoothly and speedily, and then get out there and enjoy the Spring air!

• Organize! Don’t feel like you have to blast through your entire house in one day.  Take it one room at a time, and make a checklist of what needs to be done in each room before you tackle it.  
• Clean where no man has cleaned before (or at least, hasn’t in a long time): Get into those places that are usually out-of-sight and out-of-mind: under beds, in closets and cabinets, and behind furniture and appliances.
• Recruit family members and make it fun! This doesn’t have to be a solo affair! Have the whole family take part.  Assign special jobs, play music, invent games...whatever it takes! At the end of a productive day, have something to look forward to as a reward-- go out to the movies, have dinner out at a favorite joint, or allow yourself time to enjoy a leisurely walk somewhere you enjoy.

Decorating:

A little new decorating never hurt! Enhance all your cleaning efforts with fresh decor and fun crafts.  Pinterest is a great place to find hundreds of thousands of great ideas to try. 

As you’re tidying up your bedrooms, don’t forget to read up on How to Care for Bates Bedspreads & Blankets!

Do you have any fabulous Spring cleaning tips & tricks? Please share them in the comments below; we’d love to hear from you!

Image Sources:

http://interior-heaven.blogspot.com/2012/09/white-house-and-blue-hydrangea.html

http://www.hardwarestore.com/blog/interior-spring-cleaning-2013-02/