Imagine that you are viewing your home through the eyes of someone who has never seen it before. Immediately focus on the entrance. Is It clean and bug free? Use a broom to sweep cobwebs and summer mosquitos off the light fixtures. Repair screens and switch out to tempered glass on storm doors. Eliminate any sun bleached decorations such as wreaths, planters, pots, etc. Most importantly, declutter, donate, and clean with determination! Less is more in every way when it comes to your home. If you haven’t used it, lose it! Throw out old magazines, recycle books, reorganize the garage, the linen closet and medicine cabinets, and check expiration dates on food and medicines.
Rake garden beds and cut back dead blooms from hydrangeas and roses, and trim evergreen shrubbery. Bleach any mildewed areas such as white fencing, outdoor showers, concrete steps, etc. Rinse out garbage barrels. Change outdoor mats to ones that are super functional and grab the dirt before it gets into the house. Fact: Nothing improves the look of a property like clean windows both inside and out!
Take the outdoor grill apart and clean it thoroughly. Turn off the water to the outdoor shower, and in some cases the house, if you are not going to use it. Move plumbing fixtures indoors so they don’t corrode. Clean gutters and unclog downspouts.
Purchase a programmable thermostat to help you save money. Reverse your ceiling fans. This forces cool air up, and warmer air is pushed down. Call MassSave for a free home energy audit, and find out if you are losing heat and electricity unnecessarily. They offer helpful suggestions and provide lots of free items to help you save money. Have your furnace tuned up and serviced. If you have oil heat, start price-shopping, and fill that tank NOW. Don’t wait until prices are up and service providers are swamped.
Make sure that your fireplace is clean and ready to go. Check smoke and carbon detector batteries AND the expiration date of these devices. They don’t last forever! If they are more than 5-10 years old (depending on the manufacturer), they might not be code compliant.
Condition your lawn and plant spring bulbs such as tulips, daffodils, & hyacinth to enjoy when the long winter is finally over.