Things To Do:
Wash your windows.
Wash the floors.
Stock up on basic household cleaners.
Make sure your major appliances are at sitting level.
Prepare closets and chests for storing winter clothes and linens.
Protect stored winter items with insect repellents.
Change the batteries in your smoke detectors.
Test your water.
Test your water main.
Freshen your linens.
Start kitchen herbs inside for transplanting later in May.
For the Porch:
Maintain your grill.
Check the decking for winter damage.
Clean surfaces.
Inspect any built-in planters.
Assess outdoor outlet capabilities.
Check for dry rot.
Survey parts of the deck or porch near garden beds or planters.
Source: “Country Living: Home Almanac-Maintaining Your House Month by Month” by John Gates
Three Easier Ways to Move or Rearrange Furniture
- Protect the floors by using sliders to put under furniture feet (tip the piece one side at a time to slip the sliders into place). Want to make your own sliders? Fold two heavy, clean towels. Place one towel under each end of the table or sofa, then glide it across the floor. Use a four-wheel dolly to move large pieces.
- Measure the piece you want to move; also measure the doors, hallways and stairwells you’ll need to pass through to make sure there’ll be easy access (you may have to take a door off its hinges to gain an extra inch-or two). Remove any throw rugs and take note of any low-hanging light fixtures.
- Whatever can be moved separately should also be moved separately; take out any drawers, cushions, mirrors and glass tops (actually, mirrors and glass tops should be temporarily-and carefully-put away safely). Doing this will make the moving or rearranging process so much easier for you (and the movers, personal or professional). If the furniture has to pass through any narrow openings, this process will help out a lot!
Cleaning Lamp Shades
“To clean a dusty lamp shade, run a lint roller over it from top to bottom.
For pleated shades, use your vacuum cleaner with the dusting brush or crevice tool attachment.”- Donna Smallin, cleaning expert and author
Source: “home/know-how” segment-Better Homes and Gardens, April 2011
Did You Know That…..
Used fabric softener sheets are great for removing soapy residue from glass shower doors! Sprinkle a few drops of water on the sheet and proceed to scrub.
To prevent clogs in the kitchen sink, pour ½ cup baking soda, then ½ cup white vinegar down the drain. After a few minutes, pour in boiling water.
Source: “home/know-how” segment by Kathy Barnes-Better Homes and Gardens, April 2012
Regular tap water can clean most grime and dirt off!
A denture-cleaning tablet dropped in a toilet will dissolve and clean the bowl’s surface.
Source: “home-know-how” segment-Better Homes and Gardens, April 2013
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