Preparing Your Home for Spring: Tips to Refresh Your Space and Mind
You’ve spent the winter hunkered down out of the cold, and now that the weather’s warming up, you’re probably ready to get outside and enjoy the fresh spring air! However, the transition into spring is also a great time to air out and refresh your house before the busy summer months.
The idea of “spring cleaning” is surprisingly universal–and older than you might think. Cleaning out a home in the spring months has been practiced across cultures and continents, with researchers tracing its origins back to both Persian and Jewish holidays.
But spring cleaning still has a place in our modern world. It’s a great time of year to do those big annual chores you may have been putting off, and the weather’s comfortable enough that you can do both indoor and outdoor tasks.
Here are some tasks the OSR Physical Therapy staff like to do every spring.
Five Indoor Spring Preparation Tasks
Many of us like to perform annual or bi-annual tasks in the spring, like the following:
1. Replace the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.
- You should do this twice a year–once in spring and once in fall.
2. Clean out the dryer vent.
- We don’t mean the lint trap, which you should clean regularly, but the actual vent! This helps prevent a fire hazard.
3. Check for pipe cracks that might have developed due to freezing.
- If you find anything, have a professional come out to repair it.
4. Wash your window from the inside.
- No one wants to fling open the curtains to let the sun–only to find grime on the glass!
5. Clean your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry.
- Don’t just throw away old or expired food–take the time to clean the shelves and drawers as well.
Five Outdoor Spring Preparation Tasks
Of course, no one wants to be trapped inside during the pretty weather. So when the day is especially lovely, make some time to work on these outdoor tasks, too.
1. Spring clean your yard.
- If you want to see your garden bloom, make time in late winter or early spring to clear up debris and prune away dead, diseased, or out-of-control branches.
2. Clean out your gutters.
- Scoop out debris and flush the gutters with a hose afterward (which can also help you find leaks).
3. Clean your outside windows.
- You’ve already cleaned your windows from the inside–make sure to do it on the outside, too!
4. Fertilize, mulch, and seed your lawn and flower beds.
- Prepare the soil before it’s time to start planting.
5. Spruce up your patio.
- You want to sit out and enjoy the first truly warm day of the year, right? Make the time to clean off your patio and patio furniture now.
Spring is Almost Here! Don’t Miss a Day of Beautiful Weather
At OSR Physical Therapy, we understand the importance of mental health and well-being, not just physical. By preparing your home and yard for spring now, you’ll be ready to enjoy spring’s full beauty without worrying about chores!