Spring Cleaning Tips – Cleaning Up or Getting Your Home Ready for the Market

There is something about cheerful, sunny days and blooming flowers that makes you want to rid the house of the winter blues and do some spring cleaning. Whether it’s simply time to freshen up your space, or its time to get your home ready to sell, the long spring evenings are perfect for an extra bit of cleaning time.

These spring cleaning tips will help you tidy up your space:

1. Clean, Clean, Sparkle and Shine! Clean your home until it sparkles.
   • Clean carpets and upholstery that have absorbed a layer of dirt and germs over the winter.
   • Vacuum all carpeted spaces and shake out those rugs!
   • Wash walls, woodwork, cabinets, and baseboards – clean your stainless steel to make all surfaces sparkle again.
   • Remove dust and dirt from ceiling fans, vents and bathroom fan returns.
   • Clean all light fixtures, wash all windows and skylights.
2. Get rid of clutter & clean out closets: Messy closets may give the appearance that your home doesn’t have enough storage space. Invest in solutions that help your things look more organized and remove any items you don’t need.
3. Buy a new welcome mat: A clean, new welcome mat gives buyers a good first impression and makes them feel invited into your home.
4. Clean up the yard: Mow the lawn, weed the garden, prune bushes and plant flowers. Clean out gutters, pressure wash sidewalks, stairs, garage doors, and siding as needed.
5. Repair and fix: Take care of any small repairs or major fixes that have been on the to-do list for far too long or may detract from the value of your home. Roof need repair? Windows cracked? Furnace need servicing? Faucet leaking? Now’s the time to tackle these items.
6. Remove oversized furniture, family photos and other personal items: Rid your space of knickknacks, kid’s art, family photos, extra furniture and other personal items. Be sure your furniture fits the scale of the room.
7. Refinish or polish wood floors: Time to protect and shine wood floors after a year of wear and tear! Choose a floor cleaner that cleans, shines, or both.
8. Wash your pillows and comforters: These fluffy sleeping accessories should be tossed into your washing machine 2-3 times each year.
9. Eliminate bad odors: Hide litter boxes and any other items that may be souring your home. Add inviting scents of fresh flowers and candles instead.
10. Clean your machines:
    • Disinfect your washing machine with white vinegar and baking soda to keep it fresh.
    • Clean out the inside and outside of your refrigerator. Pull out all shelves and wash with warm, soapy water and wipe down interior surfaces. Throw away all outdated food, condiments, etc.
    • Give your dishwasher a dose of a specialty cleanser. Remove any bits of food from the bottom of the machine.
    • Scrub out your oven or follow and set your self-cleaning cycle.

Once your home is sparkling clean, you’ll enjoy those cheerful, sunny days even more.