Preparing Your Home for Spring
By Carriann Johnson – Interior Designer, TV personality
This can be a funky time of year. Let’s be honest – winter can drag out when we just want the sun to shine and warm up our bodies and houses. And kick winter to the curb! I get so excited when I see the smallest sprig of grass poke its way through my dead lawn. I start visualizing my outdoor living spaces full of fresh flowers and sunshine. But not yet! Colorado can be quite wishy-washy this time of year. One day you’re wearing a jacket, the next flip-flops, and then you’re shoveling snow again! I moved to Colorado in May of 2001 and drove my rental truck through Denver…in the snow!
Let me challenge you with a fresh perspective on this time of year. These are critical months for homeowners – April and May are when I focus on any remaining indoor projects I want to complete at my house. In May, my focus shifts to the outdoors. The sunshine and warmer temps lure me outside to clean up our patios and decks, plant flowers, get our lawn ready, and generally clean up. And then summer hits and schedules are in full summer mode! Who wants to work on inside projects in the middle of the summer!? To eliminate my own personal stress, I don’t let spring and summer compete with each other.
By the time you read this, spring has sprung! So that being said, I encourage you to consider some of my favorite home spring projects:
Designer Tip: while April or May may not be the best time to get deals on patio supplies, it is the best time to ensure selection. Start thinking about any new outdoor items to purchase for Summer. Last year, I waited until the first week in June to purchase a new patio rug and my size was sold out.
🖴 Purge and declutter all unwanted items from your spaces
🖴 Wipe down baseboards
🖴 Rotate out winter clothing
🖴 Touch up paint throughout your home
🖴 Schedule a furnace tune-up and cleaning
🖴 Service (and remove debris from around) the air conditioner unit
🖴 Deep clean carpets
🖴 Clean light fixtures and fans
🖴 Freshen up/reset mouse traps
🖴 Clean windows (inside and out)
🖴 Wipe down and clean the inside of cabinets and bath vanities
🖴 Deep clean your fridge (get rid of expired condiments and thoroughly clean inside)
🖴 Powerwash garage floors to remove winter sludge