Guest Post: Your Spring Maintenance Checklist

by Dane O’Leary

As another long winter (finally) winds to a close, it’s time to think about letting out some of that stale and stagnant air, doing some spring cleaning to give your home a freshening-up, and of course getting some routine maintenance done. With mild weather right around the corner, your home is mostly likely in need of some upkeep in preparation for the hot summer. Here’s a list of maintenance essentials for you to get your home ready for spring.

Starting at the Top

Perhaps the best place to begin your spring maintenance is on the roof. Winter tends to be a punishing time for your home’s roof, especially those years when snowfall is heavier and more frequent than others. The dawning of mild warmth is the perfect time to get up there and check things out. Chances are that you probably already know if you have a leak — one of those things you usually have to learn the hard way — so you can take steps to get your roof back in tip-top shape. In particular, you’ll also want to look for shingles that are loose, broken, or missing and need to be replaced.

via Gutter Supply

Another important item on your inspection list is your gutters. By spring, you’ll have accumulation of fall foliage and winter precipitation that can really do a number on your gutters. It’s not the most enjoyable task — nobody likes being up to their elbows in wet, decomposing leaves and twigs — but the longer you wait, the worse it’ll be. Additionally, since spring tends to be a rainy season, this is something you’ll want to do before you get lots of precipitation; if your gutters are backed up, the runoff from lots of rain could damage your home’s foundation and cause an even worse problem.

On the Ground

Once your roof is in good shape again, you can take your battle to the ground. In particular, you want to look at all your landscaping and shrubbery that hasn’t gotten any attention for six months or more.  Spring is a great time for weeding. The soil is moist, but it’s not too cold so all those pesky weeds should slide right out of the ground. It’s also a good idea to trim back any dead annuals and perennials if you didn’t already do that in the fall. If your plants have been occupying the same areas for several years, it might be a good idea to mix some fertilizer into your gardens and flowerbeds so that new growth has plenty to eat.

Fresh Paint

You’ve tended to your roof and gutters, given your gardens a trim and prune. Now it’s time to consider giving your home a fresh coat of paint. If you paint your home’s exterior, this is probably the first painting project you’ll want to tackle since it’s the biggest. On the inside, it’s probably not necessary to paint your entire home, but it’s definitely a good idea to paint key areas like the kitchen and bathrooms since these areas see a lot of moisture and build-up of miscellaneous airborne funk.

via The Guardian

Rooms like the office, living room, and bedrooms don’t necessarily need a fresh coat of paint, but if you’re ambitious it certainly wouldn’t hurt. If you’d rather not paint those rooms, you could consider giving the walls a good once-over with a hot, soapy rag. Just make sure you ring the excess water from your cleaning cloth before putting it to the walls so that it’s not totally saturated. This is a great way to get all the dust and build-up off your walls while also making your paint more vibrant. It’ll look almost like you’ve give your entire house a fresh coat of paint.

Spring Cleaning

Last but certainly not least is the infamous springtime cleaning extravaganza. This is one of the most notorious cleaning sprees known universally throughout our entire culture. Though most of us aren’t enthusiastic about cleaning, there’s something unquestionably invigorating about getting rid of excess clutter, re-organizing, vacuuming, shampooing carpet, and moving fall and winter decor back into the attic. Perhaps it’s fueled by the excitement of summer being just around the corner or anticipation of not wearing socks for the foreseeable future.

via Sustainable Lafayette

Spring cleaning is the time of year for washing curtains, scrubbing floors, planning a yard sale to get rid of all the stuff we’ve amassed in only six months of hibernation, and using lots of cleaners and bleach. What’s makes spring cleaning so satisfying is definitely observing the fruits of our labor: There’s really nothing quite like the look, feel, and smell of a freshly cleaned, organized, de-cluttered, disinfected, polished home that says, “Spring is really here.”

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Dane O'Leary is a writer for Modernize.com. Visit their website to find inspiration for your home. If you are in the U.S. this site is also a great resource to connect with home improvement professionals in your area.