Spring Cleaning 101: 10 Ways to Make Sure Your Home is Ready for Spring

This conversation is sponsored by Allstate. 

Sorry groundhog, you were wrong! Spring is coming sooner than we think and I am so excited! I’m planning on lots of walks in the sunshine and picnics in the park with my family but until then, I need to start thinking about spring cleaning. It’s a lot of work but I’m hoping I can delegate some to my husband and kids and make this a family affair. Mom doesn’t always need to do everything and chores build character, right? Here are ten things to put on your to-do list to ensure your home is ready for spring:

Spring Cleaning 101: 10 Ways to Make Sure Your Home is Ready for Spring

1. Outdoor maintenance: check for any signs of damage from the winter weather. Pay close attention to gutters, shingles, and siding. Have a professional check if the shingles may cause a leak. For gutters, make sure they have no debris or leaves blocking the passages. Check for deteriorating mortar if your home is made of brick and hire a professional to help with repairs.
2. Indoor maintenance: Clean your ceiling fans and inspect your window screens for damage. Don’t forget to clean your garage (or have someone in your family do it) and get rid of unused items that are taking space.
3. Cut the clutter: Get rid of snow gear and winter sports equipment, boots, heavy coats, gloves and snow toys. Go through the closets and donate or toss old clothes. Have your kids go through their toys to see what can be donated or tossed. Make sure to keep the receipts for tax time if you do donate.
4. Deep cleaning: Now is the time to do a deep cleaning of your house. Clean your floors and wax them, deep clean the rugs and make sure your windows are cleaned both inside and out.
5. Get your spring and summer sports equipment ready: Make sure bike tires are in good shape and not damaged, have your kids try on skates and go through balls and other toys to see what can be donated and what can be kept. Make sure all balls and tires have air if they need it. If you have outdoor sports equipment like soccer nets or a basketball hoop, make sure they are in good condition.
6. Air conditioning: Make sure all of your window units are working and that the filters are clean. If you have central air, schedule a tune-up.
7. Batteries: Carbon Monoxide and smoke detectors require that batteries be changed every six months. Some people use the daylight savings time to change those, so springtime is a good opportunity for that. If you don’t change during daylight savings time, be sure to mark your calendar when you changed them last, as well as marking the next time they need to be changed.
8. Fridge, freezer, and pantry: Go through each one and toss out expired food. Wipe down each shelf and re-organize everything to make food easier to access. It’s helpful to write dates on food that’s stored in the freezer to help you remember when you stored it. You don’t need fancy labels, write on packages and plastic storage bags with a permanent marker.
9. Bedding and curtains: Now is a good time to drop off your comforter and curtains at the cleaners. A professional cleaning will help your bedding and curtains stay fresh and avoid mildew.
10. Garden: if you enjoy gardening, now is the time to start thinking about what you will plant (this is especially fun to do with the kids) and visit your local nursery for seeds, fertilizer, and supplies. Make sure you clearly mark where you are planting everything and get ready for fresh veggies to grow!

 

This post was written as part of the Allstate Influencer Program and sponsored by Allstate. All opinions are mine. As the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer, Allstate is dedicated not only to protecting what matters most–but to guiding people to live the Good Life, every day.

*Photo credit for photos 2-5 from https://pixabay.com