Give Your Home A Spring Wake-Up Call

After a long harsh winter, your home might need a wake-up call following spring’s official arrival.

Here are a few spring cleaning tips for freshening up your home in order to maximize your family’s enjoyment of this gorgeous season in Florida.

 Indoors

• Wash your windows inside and out.  Clean windows invite the fresh beauty of spring inside.

• Launder or dry clean bedspreads, pillows, rugs, and draperies.

• Get rid of dust bunnies around lighting, picture frames, above doorways, in room corners and on knickknacks. 

• Inspect walls for dings and scratches.  For a quick fix, touch-up marred areas with matching paint. If the damage is too extensive, add a fresh coat of paint to the entire room. If the damage is confined to one wall or area, consider painting that area as an accent wall in another color, adding a faux finish to create an interesting contrast, or, for real drama, commission a mural artist to create a custom mural.

• Get rid of clutter! Sort through drawers, cabinets, office files, magazine racks, and bookshelves. Recycle old mail, magazines, and old files. Donate items like clothing, house wares, old appliances and textiles to charitable or community service organizations.

• Inspect your home for signs of pest infestations or damage. Contact the appropriate professionals when needed.

• Evaluate home decor and art objects and, if your budget allows, refresh and update items that are dated or worn.

• Repair or replace broken or aging plumbing fixtures, household appliances, electrical/lighting fixtures and door or window hardware.

 Outdoors

• Inspect your irrigation system for leaks, uneven pressure and broken sprinkler heads. Test your timer settings and make necessary adjustments for time changes and local watering restrictions. Also check to make sure that your sprinkler heads are adjusted to adequately cover grass areas and landscaping.

• Prune trees, hedges, and plants to prepare for new growth.  Remove dead plants and replace with annuals or semi-annuals appropriate for the type of sun that shines on that area. Re-seed or re-sod dead or bare patches in your lawn. Fertilize grass and landscaping to awaken greenery and encourage new growth.

• Inspect walkways and driveways for tripping hazards like cracks, deterioration or shifting. Addressing safety issues is not only necessary to prevent injury, but also to avoid liability issues.  Pressure wash, resurface, and reseal driveways, pool decks and patios where necessary.

• Check exterior walls, doors, windows, and trim for damaged or peeling paint. Replace wood, patch stucco and touch up paint. If it's been few years since you've had your home repainted, and your budget allows, you might want to consider a complete repaint.

• Clear away debris from your AC unit and schedule maintenance, if necessary.

• If you're fortunate enough to have a pool and spa, make sure your pool pump, chlorination and filtration systems and cleaners are working properly. "Backwash" the filter regularly and check to make sure that your pool chemicals are at the proper levels. 

• Clean outdoor furniture and replace worn cushions.

• Inspect, repair, reseal or repaint outdoor fencing and gates.

• Make sure your mailbox is tidy and secure. Look to see that your address is visible from the street.

• Clear debris from drains and gutters for proper drainage during the rainy season.

• Do a visual inspection of your roof.  Replace missing or curled shingles.  Make sure tree branches do not touch the roof.

• Fire ants can be a problem in Florida. Walk your property and look for signs of fire ant mounds.  Get treatment by a professional or try one of the many products on the market for "do-it-yourselfers."  The painful bite inflicted by these tiny insects can ruin an otherwise lovely spring day, so protect your family and your pets.

Spring is traditionally a time for rejuvenation, rebirth, and renewal. Breathe new life into your home with some fresh changes and a little elbow grease. A cozy, clean, fresh home is a "Spring Fling" the entire family can enjoy!