The days are getting longer, temperatures are going up, and flowers and fresh leaves are starting to pop up — spring is just around the corner. Sure, you’ve heard of spring cleaning, but it’s also a great time to tackle some small tasks around the house. Read on for 9 ways to give your home some love this month.
1. Plant Flowers
Your yard’s likely begging for some color and life. Take a trip to your local nursery and grab some flowers that look like they’d add some pretty to your front yard. If you don’t have a place to plant them in the ground, or if you’d like to be able to move them around, plant them in candy-colored pots.
2. Give Your Front Door a Makeover
That builder-beige front door? Blah. For less than $40 and a couple of hours of work, you can add some serious curb appeal with a fresh, fun new paint color on your front door. Try fire engine red, bright yellow, or teal. Bonus: add a cute welcome mat.
3. Replace Your A/C Filter
Warm weather is still a few weeks away, but it’s a good idea to change out your A/C filter now so it’ll be over and done with and your unit will kick off the season running efficiently.
4. Add Solar Lights
Great weather means outdoor entertaining. Go green and install solar lighting along your home’s walkway to welcome guests. In your backyard, hang solar lanterns and string lights to create an outdoor hangout where you can hang out with friends and family after sunset.
5. Build a Fire Pit
Going off that previous idea for a great outdoor hangout: a fire pit is a must, and you’ll use it most of the year. It doesn’t get much better than sitting around a fire, toasting marshmallows.
6. Clean Out the Gutters
Yeah, we know — kinda gross. But clogged-up gutters can cause problems for your home. Spring’s the perfect time to take care of this nasty task since your region likely experienced some not-so-great weather over the previous months that may have left some gunk in your gutters that’ll keep spring rain from correctly flowing away from your home. Don’t forget the gloves.
7. Test Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarms
Dust off the covers and replace batteries if they’re low. Don’t have a carbon monoxide detector? Now’s a great time to install one. There are plenty of models that simply plug into an outlet. This is an important device to have, especially if your home is connected to a gas line.
8. Clean Your Grill
Winter can be pretty rough on grills. Take a look at yours and clean it up so you’re good to go for backyard barbecues. Make sure you have propane or charcoal, too.
9. Freshen Up Outdoor Furniture
Use a mild detergent to clean off your outdoor furniture, which is likely covered in a lovely layer of dirt and grime right now. Replace any worn or faded-beyond-belief cushion covers with something festive or add some outdoor throw pillows.
Guest Author Bio: Kristin writes for Modernize, a website with a mission to connect contractors of all specialties to homeowners looking for home improvement services.