Getting the Home Ready for Summer

Just as your car needs to be “summarized” so your house needs to be prepared for the summer months.

1. Open up those windows and let the fresh spring air inside. Don’t forget to air the closets, shake out the rugs and dry clean or wash the curtains. 
   
   
2. Detox your bathroom by placing plants near the sink and toilet. Plants filter air and give off oxygen. Good choices include: snake plants, spider plants, English ivy, and rubber plants. 
   
   
3. Clean that refrigerator—inside and out. Unplug the fridge and remove the base plate. Vacuum out dirt and lint from the fridge coils using a nozzle attachment.  Don’t forget to plug the fridge back in. 
   
   
4. Get those screens out of storage. Clean and repair or replace torn screens so you will be ready to let in the summer breezes. When screens are clean, put them on the windows. 
   
   
5. It’s time to store those winter coats and boots. Wash or dry clean them and store them. At the same time, get out your summer things. Air, wash, or dry clean them and then hang them in your closet. 
   
   
6. Summer is a time of visiting. Freshen up that guest room. Change sheets and pillows. Vacuum the room and air the duvet or bedspread. Tuck sachets of lavender in drawers and under pillows. 
   
   
7. Clean light fixtures and fans. Set fans to move counterclockwise. This pushes the warm air to mix with the cooler air and delays the need to turn on the A/C. 
   
   
8. Go through cupboards and discard anything past its due date. Rearrange food being stored and reline shelves. 
   
   
9. Give all small appliances a good cleaning with the nozzle attachment of your vacuum. 
   
   
10. Give the air conditioning a hand. Install reflective film, or sunscreen-fabric curtains, or roller shades on your windows. 
    
    
11. Now is the perfect time to attack that garage. Take everything out. Sort into three piles: keep; donate; trash. Vacuum the garage floor and shelves. Power wash the winter salt, mud, and oil off the floor. Decide what goes where. Get hooks for hand tools and gardening implements. Buy new shelves or paint old shelves. Store things where you can find them easily. Consider storage boxes for things like winter clothes or sports gear. If you had to discard old beach chairs or umbrellas, now is the time to replace them.