April showers bring May flowers, but they also bring weeds and maintenance chores!

With the temperatures in mid-February, it seemed like spring was here early, but as we know, it wasn’t! It’s here now though, and with the change of season comes the inevitable chores that come with home ownership. 

Homeownership is a huge responsibility and brings with it regular care and maintenance requirements. So, as tedious as it may be, it’s a good time to review the Spring maintenance checklist and get your ‘to-do’ plan established to protect what’s likely your biggest investment. This checklist involves deep cleaning, home inspections, and maintenance– in other words…chores! These chores ensure that the place where you spend the majority of your time is safe and healthy for you and those you share your home with. 

If the weather is still not warm enough for you to work outside, it’s a great time to select the first room in your house and begin your deep cleaning…and we do mean deep. Remove everything from cabinets, drawers, and closets, and clean way back in those dark corners. By getting those areas emptied, you can determine if you have any issues with your home’s structure, and if there are any signs of moisture or evidence of rodents or bugs, you’ll need to address it as soon as possible. 

Spring cleaning is about assessing the integrity of your home’s structure and making the necessary repairs. It’s not just about decluttering and getting organized again, although that is very important; it’s about making your home safe! 

The great part of decluttering is that you have an opportunity to recycle belongings that no longer fit or suit your needs. With costs continually rising in all areas of the economy, you may benefit financially from selling some of your no longer needed belongings, or you may be able to assist families in need and charitable organizations in Niagara that would gladly help you to re-purpose or redistribute your excess items to someone that can truly use them. Before you throw it out, make sure the item can’t be re-used by someone else – recycling can lower our carbon footprint too. 

By emptying your closet and donating those items, you can fill someone else’s heart through your generosity. Start with one room and work through your home. When the rooms, cabinets and closets are completely cleaned, it will be time to turn to the other interior maintenance chores and then the exterior portion of the maintenance list – by that time, perhaps sunnier and warmer days will be here.    

Even if you’re doing chores, being outside in the warm weather is always something to appreciate. So, take the opportunity to check your home for signs of weathering and a need for maintenance. Now’s the time to get your landscape cleaned and establish a plan for any garden updates that you can begin once there’s no longer any frost.   

Not everyone loves gardening, but a home’s curb appeal is essential. So, why not use it as motivation to complete the tasks? Nothing gives a person more motivation to get the chores done, than a reward for doing the job well or a deadline for their outdoor party. Imagine sharing your beautiful home and yard with your friends, neighbours, or family again for the first time since winter.   

As we always emphasize, general maintenance checklists are a helpful starting place, but keep in mind that houses are unique in many ways.  Every homeowner needs to take a thorough look around at their interior and exterior elements to ensure that they address any issues discovered. Simple repairs can become big replacement issues if they are left unaddressed for too long. Make sure you do a careful inspection of your entire home. 

If you find a situation that you’re not sure of, or not qualified to fix yourself, such as but not limited to, plumbing or electrical repairs, call a professional! Get the job done right and done safely! We say this a lot, but some jobs are just not DIY-type projects.  

If you are considering a renovation, addition or custom home build in the Niagara Region, call Vanderzalm Construction Inc. at (905)562-4463 or (905)684-5823. We would love to hear from you. 

We wish you a beautiful spring season!