After hibernating all winter long we all get antsy for some sunshine & a fresh start. Personally, spring time makes me anxious to get my home in order every single year. I am more motivated to declutter and take on pesky tasks that I have been putting off all winter to watch Netflix in my free time; such as cleaning my home office.
Now that we are deep into spring and warmer days are imminent ask yourself the following, have you power raked your grass, fertilized, decluttered the yard from dead plants, weeds & dog doo? The list goes on and on!
We all have our own ‘to do’ lists but there are a few items we may all be forgetting about;
1. Inspect your roof & flashing, checking for any damage to the shingles over the winter.
2. Check your gutters! The sun is out, and your gutters may still be full of rotting fall leaves. Don’t forget to check for leaky gutters due to expansion & contraction, as well as make sure that all of your downspouts drain away from the foundation to prep for rainy days.
3. Have you been diligent and winterized your outside faucets? Great – your plants will need water sooner than you think. It is time to turn them back on and check your faucets for any damage from the winter. If you can completely stop the flow of water with your thumb over the opening it might signal damage to the pipe inside the home.
4. Check your AC & Furnace – spring is the perfect time to make sure you’re ready for an efficient summer. Check your connections, change the filters, and if necessary have the units serviced.
5. It has been a cold winter, well part of it, but nonetheless it is important to check for any signs of water damage from attic rain, or leaks that may have developed. Also check that all your insulation is in tact & evenly spread.
6. Smoke Alarms – check your smile & carbon monoxide detectors ensuring that they are working & if necessary change out the batteries. Make sure home’s your fire extinguisher (if you don’t have one now is the time to invest) has not expired and the pin is in place.
7. Garage Doors need maintenance too – check for dust & dirt build up along the tracks and vacuum it out to make sure they are running smoothly.
8. Vents – your home has vents galore, therefore make sure nothing is blocking them and give them a little wipe so there are no issues. This is also a great time to check & clean out the dryer vent to minimize a fire hazard.
9. Thermostat – temperatures are climbing which means it is time to reset your thermostats for spring temperatures in order to save money on utility bills.
10. Proper drainage is important. Check around your foundation for any settlement that may beed backfilling, and ensure that your sump pump is working properly.
Out with the old and in with the new – Declutter! I always find spring the best time to re-evaluate what I have accumulated over the fall/winter. Time to declutter, donate, or sell your old unwanted items on Kijiji – after all, you may need room for new spring/summer items that spark joy!