Spring is right around the corner! It’s a fresh start, beautiful weather, and time to start new things. But first, it’s time to clean and refresh everything in your life.
Here are some tips to help you tackle your spring cleaning and the beginning of a new season.
- Clean your windows, inside and out, to let the sunshine in. White vinegar and newspaper or coffee filters will get them squeaky clean with minimal cost or time spent and none of that annoying lint.
- Dust light bulbs with a microfiber cloth, just make sure to unscrew them first. When dust collects, the heat from the bulb will burn the dust and cause a smoky smell that isn’t pleasant.
- Clean your window blinds. Take them down from the window and bring them outside. Wipe off the dust, and then use a cleanser to clean them further to remove stains and smells.
- Change your heavy bedding and air out and wash your thickest comforters.
- Don’t forget your ceiling fans. Clean the blades by wiping away dust with a dry cloth and then following up with a wet cloth. In the winter, your fan should turn clockwise to move the warm air through your home. Once the weather warms up, make sure the fan blades rotate counterclockwise.
- Clean your refrigerator. Throw away anything old and moldy and wipe down all the shelves and drawers.
- Deep clean your carpets and rugs. If you don’t own a steam cleaner, you may be able to rent one from a local home improvement store.
- Take down your curtains and clean them according to manufacturer instructions. You may need to dry clean them or just throw them in the washing machine.
- Replace the batteries in your smoke detectors even if they’re not beeping like crazy yet. Consider this preventative medicine to keep your home safe in the year ahead.
- Use a brush to clean dirt and dust from screens covering your windows, on your back patio, or your screened doors.
- Use vinegar to clean the lime build up from your faucets and showerheads. Dampen a paper towel with vinegar and place it over the faucet. This should loosen things up so you can rinse away the build up.
- Bring your outdoor furniture out of storage, clean it off, and get ready to enjoy the beautiful weather outside!
- Clean off your back patio and repair any cracked or broken decking or bricks.
- Check your life, health, auto, and homeowner’s insurance policies to make sure they’re still current. Think about life changes you’ve had over the previous year, and make sure your insurance reflects those changes – new baby, additions to your home, new job, etc.
It may seem strange to think about your insurance while you’re in the middle of spring cleaning, but the easiest way to make sure you remember it is to schedule a time each year when you can add it to your to-do list. Spring is a great time to refresh and renew many things in your life – especially the protection you have for yourself, your family, and your home.