These are unprecedented times we’re living in, and every person, household and business is having to make adjustments to their lives and do their part to contain this virus. We can either come out of this thing behind, or we can come out refreshed and ready to go. There are so many tasks around the house that are easy to put off when there just never seems to be enough time to do them. But now, it seems that time is one thing most of us have a lot more of lately. Here are 10 home maintenance tasks we can all accomplish with this new-found free time:
1. Organize your closets and dressers
Whether it’s color coordinating your closet or just re-folding the clothes in your dresser, this is a great time to organize an area that you see each day!
2. Go through junk drawers
We’ve all got ‘em…you know the one. It’s probably somewhere in your kitchen, near the forks, and it’s full of things like pens that don’t work, dull pencils, a tape measure, maybe a key that unlocks some mystery door, an old checkbook... What better time than now to purge some of those things taking up space in your precious junk drawer?
3. Sort your Tupperware If your Tupperware is already sorted, teach me your ways. For most of us, this is a great time to match Tupperware containers to their lids and to throw ones that aren’t a pair. While we’re at it, let’s find a better system for storing all this Tupperware, shall we?
4. Fix that broken door knob or loose tile that’s been bothering you There has to be something around your house that doesn’t function at 100%, and it’s been driving you nuts for months, right? Between work, and kids, and sporting events, it’s always been hard to find a time to fix it. Now’s the perfect time!
5. Work on your financial planning Surely there are areas we can all be saving money, but in the thick of our daily routines, looking closely at finances is a big undertaking. With all this time on our hands, we can finally look at ways to save money or whether it makes sense to refinance your loan!
6. Rearrange your furniture Need a fresh look in your home? Now you can experiment with moving around your furniture, and you won’t even have to worry about having it perfect before guests come over! It’ll make you feel like you’re living in a brand new house. ;)
7. Check HVAC system filters If your home is dustier than usual, or your furnace filter is noticeably gray in color, it may be time to change it out. The recommended usage is anywhere from one to six months, so you may be coming up on the time to change it.
8. Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors It is recommended that smoke and carbon monoxide detectors be checked once a month, and batteries be replaced at least once or twice a year. If we’re going to be spending so much time in our homes, we might as well make sure it’s safe, right?
9. Clean dryer vent Some warning signs of your dryer vent needing to be cleaned are: laundry taking longer to dry, the dryer becoming hotter to the touch, or a burning smell becoming noticeable in the laundry room. Check out this link for step-by-step instructions on how to clean your dryer vent.
10. Pressure wash siding, porch, deck on a warmer day We’re heading into spring, which means warm days are ahead! Get out your pressure washer and clean off winter’s buildup on your siding, porch and deck. The exterior of your home will have a fresh new look as we head into the warmer months!
While there are so many scary and unknown things going on in our world right now, it’s important that we remain positive and look for the things that we can control. Keeping up with our home maintenance can be overwhelming when life gets busy, but what better time than now to dedicate those extra hours to cleaning, tidying and maintaining our homes? What home tasks are you taking on this spring? Share with us in the comments below!