Sprucing up your home and yard for spring

No handyman, no problem

I spoke with HGTV handyman Chip Wade about his best tips for spring cleaning, inside and out, and here is his advice.

There are a variety of simple, DIY spring home maintenance tasks that you can tackle without hiring a professional. Start with window cleaning and while you spritz and spray look to see if they need resealing. Re-caulk or replaced damaged stripping where needed to save on air conditioning come the warmer months.

Speaking of air conditioning, take time before spring to change or wash your HVAC filters. Turn the system on to see how it’s working before the summer months when repair shops are busiest.

Outside, sweep up any remaining gravel, salt and sand left over from winter de-icing.  This can hinder grass growth, so it is important to. You can use a power washer to clean everything from the driveway to vinyl siding, the front walkway, and patio furniture.

Spring is also an ideal time to inspect outdoor plumbing and your home’s exterior. For more advice and details on how to do these tasks, check out MasterThis a resource from Liberty Mutual Insurance for new homeowners.

Safety first

Following the winter months, it’s important to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Not only should you do this to check if they are working, but because installing protective devices such as smoke or fire alarms can lead to savings on your home insurance. Additionally, clearing out your gutters and having your roof examined are two essential home maintenance checks that should be conducted after winter. Since safety is a big factor when it comes to climbing up on ladders to access gutters and roofs, this is when hiring a professional is the best course.

Spring forward

 Spruce up the back yard and garden and keep it that way with simple plantings that require minimal maintenance. Start by creating very focused areas and clearly defined paths from one feature location to the other. This forces the eye exactly where you want. Rubber mulch around planting beds and foundations is another easy gardening hack. Rubber mulch is great for pets and kids it great to place next to the foundation and is a cost-savings investment. The color should last up to 10 years versus dyed mulch, which must be replaced every season. Check out this 360-degree video for more DIY tips to spruce up your yard.

Take inventory and purge

 Take inventory of your belongings to help you determine what items are most valuable and what items you can throw away.  Home Gallery® App is a helpful inventory tool that lets you store images and information, such as purchase price and date for each item, on your phone, which can be exported and saved on your home computer or backed up on a cloud server in case of theft or damage. Once your items are properly documented, it’s easier to see which are necessary to keep and which you might have been holding onto for too long. Often the general two-year rule can apply – if you have not worn it or used it in two years, toss it (or donate, consign, etc.).