A Normal Spring

Spring is in full swing and summer is now on the horizon.  The long quarantine is starting to let up a bit, although it is still important be calm and responsible.  This means we can start to reassemble our normal lives.  We must ask ourselves what we would normally be doing this time of year.

Landscaping

By now, all of us should have mowed our lawns or paid someone else to do it for us.  If not, shame on you for being a bad neighbor.  Landscaping is big business this time of year and we should expect to see a huge boom in home supply sales.  The reason why is simple.  We are home and we have extra time on our hands.  Even though stores are opening, we still do not want to take random trips to the mall.  If we need something, it is okay to go out and buy it if we are respectful and take the proper precautions.  With, it is time to look at your home and come up with a plan. 

Some of our homes need major work, while others just need some touch ups.  Step one is to access your individual situation and then come up with a plan of attack.  This not only saves you time and money but limits your exposure risk.  One trip to the garden center or big box store is a lot better than three.  So, what might we need?  If your lawn is looking weak and full of weeds, it might be time for some treatment.  You can either pay a company to come do it for you or buy the supplies yourself.  There are several companies that make home lawn improvement products.  These are usually simple and affordable.  However, if your lawn is in great shape it gives you the time and resources necessary to take on another project.  How do the flower beds look?  Do you need to add color by planting simple and affordable seasonal flowers or do you need to replace cornerstone perennials?  Finally, do you want to grow your own fruits and vegetables?  This is usually a summer long commitment with a big payoff if you do it right.  Everyone’s situation is unique.

Some of us might ask why should we put all this effort and work into our landscaping?  It is not necessary and does take up time and cost money.  One answer is for the challenge and rewarding feeling of being creative.  Another is we are at home more often now; we might as well ensure we maximize our homes appeal.  Additionally, working from home can be difficult.  We get tired of seeing the same places and things all the time.  Gardening gives us a great way to change the setting without going anywhere.  Offices are designed to be comfortable and relaxing and we can get the same comfort from home.  Having a corner office with a view is what every business professional wants.  Now that we are working from home, we can create our own view.  We can look out from our offices or workspaces and see what we want to see.  Finally, who does not want their house to look like a magazine cover?  We want to be the best in the neighborhood and if we are willing to do the work, we will get results.  The time to start turning your thumb green is now.

Cleaning

We have talked a lot of about spring cleaning in the past.  What we did not say is that timing is key.  We can clean our entire house but not want to take out the trash because of the cooler weather or rain.  Additionally, the quarantine has made getting rid of things hard.  We have not wanted to hire trash removal companies or temporary dumpsters.  Some local communities have even limited trash pickups to whatever fits in the bin.  Doing so ensures driver safety.  As things start to warm up and stay at home orders start to loosen, we can now get to the real cleaning.  We can finally purge our home, garages, and offices of junk we no longer need and do it comfortably.  We can take multiple trips to the local dumpster or to the front of our yards for trash picks without getting bundled up in warm clothing or rain gear.  The excuses are starting to vanish.  We have the time and we can do it comfortably, so there is no reason not to spring clean.

Spring cleaning is also not unique to the inside.  We now have no excuse for not cleaning the outside of our homes or vehicles.  It is hard to muster up the motivation and energy to vacuum a car when it is cold outside.  We do not want to be uncomfortable and we want to be able to move more freely.  Warmer weather ensures the coats can come off and we can remain comfortable while trying to reach the hard to get places.  Additionally, cleaning the outside of our homes is more important than we realize.  A simple power wash can improve the life our exterior walls while improving its look.  It is a great way to combat mildew and mold and it can also help with pest control.  Finally, cleaning the exterior of our homes improves curb appeal and magnifies all the landscaping work you hopefully have already started.

We are spending much more time at home then we are used to.  We are working from home, we are cooking more, and we are spending more time together with our families. All these things are good but can get tiring.  So now that the weather allows, spend some time changing the scene and cleaning things up.  We are spending much more time in our home environment; it makes sense to improve the setting and make it more enjoyable.