Spring is in the Air

Can you believe it's almost Spring already? Prepare for the warmer weather with these tips.

Today is Daylight Savings Time and is the unofficial start of Spring! Hopefully you remembered to set your clocks ahead and hour and you aren't too sleepy after losing that hour. 

With Spring comes new beginnings and the time to clear out the old to make room for the new. Hence Spring Cleaning! How do you prepare for the warmer weather that's just over the horizon? If you're not sure where to start, here are some ideas.

Wardrobe Change

It's time to swap out your heavy Fall and Winter clothes for those lightweight Spring and Summer duds. Before storing away those jackets, sweaters, scarves, hats, and other toasty warm accoutrements, make sure you clean them and prepare them for long-term storage to keep moths and other critters away as well as to keep them from having funky smells when it's time to wear them again in the Fall.

To keep those stored clothes smelling fresh and to keep the moths away, instead of using mothballs, try cedar blocks or fill a bowl with fragrant herbs that naturally repel moths like lavender, eucalyptus, thyme, rosemary, and mint. Refresh the aromatic herbs every couple of months to keep those pests away and to have a great smelling closet!

Household Cleaning

After being cooped up inside with all the windows closed, your house might start feeling a tad stuffy. Once it warms up enough, open up the windows and doors and let some fresh air in. Try to pick a day when there isn't too much pollen or you'll be adding more work to your cleaning routine.

Take this time to clean out the fireplace and clean off those space heaters before putting them in storage. Wipe down your ceiling fans before changing their direction to avoid blowing dust all over your room. If you're feeling ambitious, consider wiping down your walls to remove smoke stains, dust, and any other stains they might have collected.

If they aren't too bad, a simple dry wipe with a cloth over a broom might be sufficient. If their a little dirtier than the dry wipe can handle, a sponge and some plain water might do just fine. For stains, add a touch of mild dish soap to the water. For really stained walls, a mixture of water, vinegar, ammonia, and baking soda should do the trick. Add the solution to a spray bottle to make cleaning your walls easier. 

Fabrics

Upholstery, rugs, and carpets tend to hold on to smells as well. After a long winter, cleaning these will help to freshen up the household. Simply running the vacuum over all these surfaces might take care of it. If you notice there are some fairly strong odors that seem to linger, try sprinkling baking soda over the surfaces, let sit for a few minutes, then vacuum. The baking soda should absorb any foul smells and leave your house smelling fresh.

If you notice stains or the smells are too strong, even for the baking soda, you might need to shampoo them. You can do it yourself or, if you're not sure about the process, you can always hire a reputable company.

Bathroom

Cleaning the room where you clean yourself is a necessity. Deep cleaning annually can stave off mold and mildew which can make your bathroom smell musty. Trouble spots that you might want to pay close attention to are your tub and shower grout and tiles. Removing soap scum can sometimes use a little elbow grease, but will help with keeping your bathroom sparkling. Dish soap, vinegar, and water in a spray bottle will help loosen soap scum along with a scrub brush and a little time.

If your grout has mold or mildew, kill and remove it with oxygenated cleaners, bleach, or hydrogen peroxide. Douse the area with your chosen cleaner and let sit for a little bit. Scrub and repeat if necessary until the mold and mildew are gone.

Spring is also a great time to go through that medicine chest. Check the dates on all your medications, creams, and other health products. If they are out of date, go ahead and get rid of them. If you wear makeup, this would be a good time to replace it. You can even take this opportunity to change up your color scheme for the new season.

Kitchen

Getting your kitchen in order after the long winter and entertaining through the holidays is a necessity. Clean out your refrigerator and toss any out of date items, those leftovers lingering in the back, and wipe it down to remove any spills. Pull your refrigerator away from the wall and clean out behind and beneath it. Use your vacuum cleaner to vacuum the coils of the refrigerator which will help it to work more efficiently. 

While you're cleaning up the kitchen, take time to clean your coffee maker and your coffee grinder to ensure you're enjoying the freshest, most flavorful coffee. For instructions to clean different coffee makers and grinders, click here.

Coffee and Tea

You can also update your coffee and tea choices with our Spring coffees and teas. Click here to shop bright and invigorating coffees and teas like our Costa Rica, our Apricot Cream, and our Chamomile. .

How are you getting ready for Spring?