Spring is a time of rebirth, the opening of the clouds and letting the sunshine back in your life! Here are a few of my favorite things to do in the spring.
Every Spring, I feel the desperate need to air out my house after keeping it shut up all winter. Opening the windows can breathe a new beginning into your home. This is also a great time to clean your windows and screens. I like to use a sponge and squeegee to make the cleaning quick and streak free. Others prefer to use newspaper with glass cleaner. The newspaper absorbs the glass cleaner in a way that leaves your mirror or windows streak free. For hard to reach windows, you can attach a broom handle or extendable pole to your squeegee sponge to help brighten your home. Don’t forget the outside!
Clean out the fridge! If you are like me, you SAY you clean your fridge out once per month, but in actuality, I find sauces or salad dressings that expired before Obama became president….that’s 15 years ago and I have moved twice! Personally, I think it was a plant from a friend. But however your expired food gets there, throwing it away once per month is great. However, doing a deep clean of your fridge at least once per year leaves you feeling refreshed. Most of the shelves and drawers are removable! Take them out, wash them in the sink, dry them and put them back in place. I do like to use a combination of vinegar, dish soap and water to really get things smelling clean without fake perfume odors staying locked in my fridge.
Clean your oven. Most ovens these days have a self-cleaning feature. Follow your appliance manufacturer’s instructions. For my oven, I sprayed some water in the oven to help loosen any stuck on food. Set the oven to “Self-Cleaning.” Wiped down the oven with just water and paper towel after the cycle ran. DO NOT use products like glass cleaner or Lysol in the oven.
Vacuum. I like to sprinkle baking soda on the carpet and let it sit for a while. I buy the ginormous bag from Sam’s Club for $5 and use a flour sifter or pasta sieve and sprinkle it to sit overnight, concentrating on areas where animals like to lay down. As a single woman, it is easy for me to keep people off the carpets while it sets. If you have a family with kids running around, this would be a lot harder to accomplish. When I get up in the morning, I vacuum all of the baking soda up. Now I have refreshed my carpets with no chemicals. If you want to use a carpet shampooer, I do that as well at least twice per year. I like to use a mix of dish soap, vinegar and water as my “soap.”
Wash curtains/blinds/ceiling fans. Dust collects EVERYWHERE in your home. Use your dusting cloth to wipe down blinds and ceiling fans to help prevent dust particles from ruining your air quality. Putting curtains in the washing machine is a quick and easy way to keep them looking fresh.
Wash Bedding. You probably don’t need your heavy winter comforter anymore now that summer is approaching. Wash it in the machine or get it dry cleaned.
Wipe down baseboards. If you have white baseboards, use a laundry sheet to wipe them down once per year. Keeps them looking white and the laundry sheet repels the dirt/dust.
Oil wood furniture. Using a wood polisher is a great way to keep your furniture hydrated and looking sharp. Just give it a quick wipe and your house will smell like lemons. Furniture polish can also help with water rings on your beautiful wood.
Now that your house is clean and tidy, get on out and enjoy that beautiful spring weather!
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