Spring is the season of new growth! After a long, icy winter, there’s nothing quite like the warmth of the springtime sun. Here in Minnesota, we sometimes find it hard to predict exactly when spring will kick into full gear, but when it does arrive, we welcome it with open arms.
Spring is also when we prepare our yards for outside entertainment, perform quarterly maintenance, and freshen up the inside of our homes. This Spring Maintenance Checklist makes it easy to stay on top of all of the seasonal to-do's!
Quarterly Maintenance
- Change or clean your furnace filters, depending on the recommended frequency
- Clean or replace filters on any other mechanicals or appliances that have them, such as dehumidifiers, A/C units, or range hoods
- Test all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Change the batteries according to the manufacturer’s specs
- Turn over or rotate mattresses
Interior Maintenance
- Open those windows and air out the house
- Remove storm windows, if you have them, and install screens after hosing or wiping them down
- Wipe down the blades of ceiling fans
- Close the fireplace damper
- Get rugs or carpet cleaned if necessary. Consider having the sofa steam cleaned
- Wash or replace pillows (most are only meant to last for one to three years)
- Replace warm-weather bedding with lighter coverlets
- Have the air ducts cleaned (if needed)
Exterior Maintenance
- Attach your garden hoses
- Pressure-wash the patio and deck, and hose down outdoor furniture (pressure washers can be rented from most hardware stores)
- Hose down the siding, inspecting for damage as you do
- Pressure-wash the driveway
- Have the gutters professionally cleaned
- Wash the window exteriors
- Sweep out the garage
- Detail the grill and check to see if it is working properly
Phew! Once all this hard work is done, your final task is to pull out a lawn chair, settle in with a tall glass of iced tea, and soak in all the fresh spring air that you can!
