Happy (almost) spring! We’re only days away from the change in seasons, and most of us are excited to welcome back sunnier and warmer weather. The one thing you may be dreading about this season is spring cleaning. It’s an unofficial rule that spring is the time to give your home and yard a thorough inspection and scrub down. However, you don’t have to make the process too terrible for yourself. Here are some tips to get the ball rolling on your own cleaning agenda!
Clear out your fridge and pantry
How often do you put leftovers in your fridge and then completely forget about them? Do you ever replace pantry products before they’re fully empty, so you end up with several half-consumed containers of food? Most of us are guilty of accidentally letting our food supply multiply without our notice. Unfortunately, after a while you will be left with no room in your fridge or pantry, and a collection of expired and stale foods.
Spring cleaning is the perfect time to take the plunge and clear out your fridge and pantry. Pull everything out and examine best before dates and general appearance. You’re likely to come across some long-forgotten item in the back of your fridge that’s seen better days. Wipe down all the surfaces before you start putting things back where they belong. Throw out expired foods and items that are stale, nearly empty, or that you know won’t be consumed. Before you know it, you’ll be left with a fresh stock of products and much more storage space in your fridge and cupboards.
Clean your hall closet and shoe cupboard
Winter is notoriously dirty and messy, especially in Ontario. We track more salt and slush into our homes than we thought possible, and our stained boots and coats are usually stored in a hall closet or cupboard throughout the season. Once spring hits, most of us take the first chance to swap out our clunky winter boots with sandals and sneakers, and replace bulky coats with windbreakers. Before you start restocking with warm-weather items, though, take this time to clean out the space. We guarantee you’ll be able to sweep up loads of salt and dirt, and you’ll find lots of water stains on the floor to scrub off. You don’t want to be tracking dirt around your home all year, so take this opportunity to rid yourself of the winter mess.
Do a full floor surface cleaning
Most of us prioritize visible surfaces when we clean our homes, and we may not worry too much about those hard-to-reach spots we can’t see. As long as you’re in the spring cleaning mood, however, now is the perfect time to go to town on all your floor surfaces. Pull your couches out of the way, reach into spaces between walls and cupboards, and step into the spots behind corner tables. You’ll find lots of dust, dirt, and if you have some pets, likely some forgotten pieces of kibble or treats. Give the space a good dusting, vacuum, and mop. Even if you can’t see these areas, it’s important to give them a clean once in a while!
Reorganize your garage
Moving a bit further outside, we reach the garage, a spot most of us use for parking cars and storing items we don’t know what to do with. Our garages quickly get overcrowded and become a little maze we have to navigate before we can get inside our homes. If your garage looks more like a junk store, use this time to clear it out and reorganize it. Throw out items you don’t need, like cracked flower pots or old cans of paint. You can consider installing some shelving so you can store fewer things on the ground, and keep the space more organized. Your garage doesn’t need to be magazine-worthy, but it helps when it’s neat enough to navigate!
Bring out any outdoor furniture
If you have a yard, this is probably one of the things you miss most in the winter. Sitting outside on your deck in the warm weather is one of the best feelings, and it’s finally time to get ready for these relaxing moments again! Any outdoor furniture you have, from chairs and tables to outdoor couches, are likely stored in a garage or shed. When you bring them out of hibernation for the season, be sure to give them a good spray down before lounging out. This is one of the better parts of spring cleaning, because it means warm weather is just around the corner!
Prep your lawn
Finally, your yard itself likely needs some spring attention after the winter. As the snow melts and your lawn starts showing up, it’s time to start preparing. You might need to reseed some areas of grass that suffered over the winter. It also won’t be long before you have to break the lawn mower out once again. If you have a garden, it’s almost time to start mulching and planting for the season. Make sure you have a system in place to ensure your lawn and gardens get adequate water too! This might mean setting up some sprinklers if you don’t experience much rain.
Spring cleaning isn’t the most thrilling time of the year, but it’s an important part of being a homeowner. By giving your house and yard a thorough treatment, you’re ensuring you can enjoy this season to its fullest extent.
If you have any questions about your mortgage, get in touch with me!