Spring Cleaning: May Homeowner Maintenance Guide
It’s time for spring homeowner maintenance! Here is the perfect checklist from our guest blogger Savannah Hemmings.
The sunny, temperate days of May are simply perfect for throwing open the windows, cranking your favorite tunes and getting to work on your spring cleaning checklist.
Don’t have a checklist? No problem! We’ve put together a simple guide filled with tips, lists and how-to’s to get your spring cleaning off on the right foot:
Walk Your Property
Winters are hard on homes, which is why it’s a great idea to get out early and get a feel for where your home or yard is hurting.
*Make sure to check all around your yard and home’s exterior (like this gorgeous Artisan Home #24 by Michels homes) to plan your spring maintenance list.
Do a complete walk of your property, visually inspecting trees, landscaping and, of course, the exterior of your home. Take a pad of paper or a clipboard so you can easily make a note of any issues you find. Examples of problems to look for include:
- Downed limbs
- Dead plants or trees
- Limbs that are touching the roof or siding
- Broken shutters, lights or screens
- Roof damage
- Cracked caulk or damaged weather-stripping
Once you’ve finished your notes, turn those notes into an action plan. Make appointments with roofers or tree specialists to address problems beyond your capabilities. Of course, many issues can be resolved with a little elbow grease and a willingness to learn a new DIY skill like replacing weather-stripping.
Inspect Your Home’s Interior
Walking through each room is a great start, but a thorough inspection will mean going deeper.
Get up in the attic and go down into the basement. Inspect under sinks and inside crawlspaces. Look for unwanted critters, signs of mold, leaking pipes and any other signs of wear or damage. Just like the exterior inspection, make notes on what you find and use them to create a plan of action.
Consider Your Water Consumption
Higher temperatures usually mean more sweat and dirt to clean off. Between landscape work, gardening, outdoor (or indoor) renovations and good old summer fun, your pipes will see a lot of use.
Your interior inspection should reveal any leaks or issues you need to resolve. Once those are taken care of, it’s time to consider implementing water-saving measures. These could be as simple as taking shorter showers or only running the dishwasher when full.
Easy bathroom upgrades can greatly reduce your consumption and pay for themselves in savings. Switch faucets and showerheads for low flow alternatives. Replace old toilets with new, high efficiency models that use less water per flush. Not ready or able to replace your toilet? You can use DIY measures (like adding pebbles to the tank) to reduce flush volume, or purchase and install inexpensive dual flush kits.
Clean, Clean, Clean
Open all the windows and roll up your sleeves. Let the fresh air and warmer temperatures chase away the stale, cold winter air while you work your way through the cleaning part of your spring cleaning checklist.
Depending on the size of your home, a deep clean may require more than one weekend’s work. If that’s the case, try starting with the basics in every room before scheduling separate times to tackling the deep cleaning needs in each space.
Regardless of how intensely you clean, remember one key tip: Work top to bottom. This will save you cleaning the same surfaces multiple times.
Cold/Warm Swap
If you haven’t done so already, take the time to swap out your cold weather clothes, lawn gear and leisure items for your warm weather items.
Pack away bulky jackets and sweaters, books and thick socks and break out the flip flops, shorts and tanks. Put the skis and snow suits in storage and dust off the beach gear. Move the snow shovel, snow blower and salt to the back of the garage and bring the gardening gear and lawn games to the front.
This swap is the perfect time to go through your belongs and purge anything that no longer fits or works, as well as items that you no longer need or want. Set the items aside for a yard sale or take them to your local donation center.
Little Time, Big Impact
Some tasks are unglamorous, but make a big impact on your home’s efficiency and safety. Each spring, take the time to:
- Test smoke detectors (and change batteries)
- Change filters
- Schedule a chimney inspection
- Drain your water heater
- Service your HVAC
- Service your lawn mower
Can’t get it all done in May? Stop stressing. Simply getting started and making a plan for how (and when) you’ll finish is a big first step.
Savannah Hemmings is a lifestyle blogger and personal shopper. She has a passion for curating and creating beautiful spaces. You can read more of her work at SincerelySavannah.com.