Spring Cleaning and Organization Tips for the Home

A clean home is usually an organized home. Springtime has finally arrived, and the time has come to start getting your home spring-ready both inside and out in preparation for the warm, sunny days ahead. The tips for spring cleaning and organization that follow will help you stay on track to get everything done while still having time to relax on the deck.
Spring Cleaning and Organizing Inside the Home

You may have heard that “many hands make light work”. The same is true of spring cleaning. Organize a weekend for your family to help you get the spring cleaning work completed, and then treat them to a night out at the movies or a special family dinner. The inside of your home can benefit from these organizational and cleaning tips:

• Have everyone in the family sort through their closets, separating what they will wear this spring and summer from the fall and winter clothing that they have on the racks now. Sort clothing to give away, sell, or discard, and then determine where to store what you want to keep.
• Turn your clutter into cash by de-cluttering every room in the home and then hosting a huge yard sale. Whatever doesn’t sell can be donated to your local Goodwill store or other charitable thrift store.

• Wash your windows, both inside and outside. While doing this, take time to send any dirty draperies or window treatments to the cleaners. Vacuum your window sills, removing any dust tags and cob webs.

• Move your furniture, and then use your sweeper to vacuum the spaces in your home that are never reachable with a vac.
• Have your cooling system inspected. If you do this early enough, you won’t have to wait for several days during “peak season”.
• Change all of the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors. If you make a habit of changing the batteries in these life-saving devices every time that you do your seasonal cleaning, you’ll never worry about the batteries going dead.

Spring Cleaning and Organizing Outside the Home

• Clean out the garage. Schedule a time with the entire family to clean out your garage, and in doing so, create an efficient area in the garage for storing your camping equipment, sporting goods, garden tools and more. Having your seasonal “stuff” organized will give you more time to spend on what really matters this spring and summer – fun times.
• Bring your outdoor furniture out of hibe
ation. Inspect the furniture for damage, and then clean and/or repair the furniture. Adding a fresh coat of paint to your metal or wooden furniture can give it a brand new look.

• Take a tour of your exterior, pen and notepad in hand. Take note of any seasonal maintenance that needs to be undertaken. Inspect your roof for any damage that the long winter has inflicted, such as broken or missing tiles or shingles. Arrange for repairs for anything that you notice that is in disrepair.
• Get the family in on a lazy Saturday afte
oon project to help you scrape, prime, and then paint any spots that are peeling on your woodwork or trim outdoors.
• Clean away any dead foliage from your flower beds.
• Start thinking about any landscaping that you want to do. Now is the time to plant trees and shrubs in many areas.