Home Improvement Spruce Ups to Tackle at Home Now

If you find yourself with a little extra time at home in the coming days (smart social distance + #earthisshutdown), perhaps spruce ups will (1) keep you moving and (2) keep you from despairing. You’ll find a dozen or so spring cleaning and home improvement tasks I intend to tackle in Home Improvement Spruce Ups to Tackle at Home Now.

This post contains affiliate links which I hope you will use since they won’t cost you a penny extra yet may earn this blog a small commission.

Home Improvement Spruce Ups to Tackle at Home Now

Improvement No. 1: Declutter

I went into some detail HERE about decluttering after reading a great book on the topic that approaches organization from a very realistic and also psychological perspective.

One of the easiest places to begin to clear clutter for spring and summer (at least when you’re me) is to store away winter clothing and even pillows and throws which seem to accumulate during winter when a cozier look makes sense.

If you lack closet or attic space for such winter storage items, there are always these under-bed containers which will keep them dust free.

These containers are so helpful if you have downsized like us.

Spruce Up No. 2: Pillow Talk

Fresh new pillows for spring and summer!

There’s nothing like fresh pillowy goodness. Here’s my own personal fave I told you about HERE.

Should you also feel the itch to add a few throw pillows for spring, here are some pretty alternatives.

Home Task No. 3: Sparkling Range & Oven

Hey, no one said this list of spring spruce ups would be glamorous…ha! Let’s see how Martha recommends cleaning the range.

While I’m consistent about sprucing up the cooktop daily, with the frequent winter baking I do, the oven can get crunchy.

If you live in a region with long, frigid winters like us, then you probably wait until spring for this chore. For a self-cleaning oven, open a window since the process is not the most fragrant. Cleaning it by hand? Wear gloves and a mask.

Play soothing music and think about a sweet little reward you’ll treat yourself to when that oven is sparkling clean following the labor.

Home Improvement No. 4: Fresher Frig

It’s my least favorite thing to do! And I can talk myself out of it like an ultimate Procrastinatista. However, every single time I break down and clean the refrigerator, I am amazed it at how gratified I feel afterward.

I can’t seem to tackle my frig cleaning without help from:

It can be awfully motivating to watch someone demonstrate their personal method for cleaning that big boy.

Spruce Up No. 5: Clean Windows Like Martha

This quick video from Martha will enlighten:

Maybe these will come in handy:

Spring Clean Idea No. 6: Upgrade Towels

Old ones can become dingy, and fresh new towels can be one of those ‘everyday lovely’ layers of daily hygiene to bring function and smiles.

I recently discovered the beauty of soft muslin cloths for gently removing makeup, cleansing my face, and anything for which you might use a washcloth. These cloths are used in spas for facials and more commonly, for babies.

Since I have sensitive skin prone to rosacea, making the switch from more abrasive terry cloth to baby-soft cotton-y layered muslin has made a significant difference. (While exfoliation can be wonderful, you don’t want to overdo it and disturb the skin’s barrier.)

House Spruce Up No. 7: Porch Pretty

Choose a mild and less windy day to sweep, clear debris with a leaf blower, and hose off your porch to set the stage for spring.

Here’s a pretty book I own that may inspire you decor-wise:

We have two of these these planters from Home Depot on the front porch flanking the front door, and anything planted or plopped in them looks fabulous.

They can be left outdoors year-round, which helps so much when your storage is limited!

This is my favorite custom, grainsack handmade pillow found HERE.

Home Improvement No. 8: Replace the Shower Curtain Liner

Here’s a little spruce up packing a huge punch, and changing out a new shower curtain liner each year takes all of about 5 minutes!

I like buying the extra long liner for our walk-in shower for extra flexibility in positioning the curtain rod and extra protection for keeping moisture inside the shower. Over time, those splashes outside of the shower can create mildew issues and even worse!

Spruce Up No. 9: Change Filters

Where ever you have filters, make sure you have fresh ones. The furnace is an obvious place to start, but also check any ice maker, vacuum, and vent hood filters (mine become greasy quickly!)

Spring Cleaning No. 10: Steam Clean Rugs & Carpet

Don’t you love that feeling after the rugs have been cleaned!?! A no shoes in the house policy helps tremendously with keeping them cleaner all year round. You’re likely well aware of the dangers of chemicals traditionally used for cleaning carpets. Here’s an article that mentions conventional household ingredients to create powdered mixtures for the job. Steam cleaning is our preferred method and has always worked well. If you plan to buy a cleaning product for the job, make sure to look for nontoxic, green-certified, cleaning solutions that are recognized as safe by the FDA.

For day to day cleaning of floors, I have been using this cordless Dyson model for years now, and it makes so many chores easier. It is stored on the wall (mounts to a charger) in the laundry room…so convenient!

Home Improvement No. 11: Rake Yard

My husband is outside this very moment with a rake, and he seems oblivious to the fact it began snowing 30 minutes ago! No yard to rake? Lucky! Even though we downsized by half, our yard is still a doozy to address with many mature trees and fallen leaves.

Psst…wish I could say our yard resembles this one–you may recall this tiny house property designed supberbly by Jeffrey Dungan.

Spring Spruce Up No. 12: Paint Touch-ups

It simply will NOT take as long as you think it will, and you can probably This is next on my to-do list, and I always dread it because I think it will take weeks when I typically can make a big dent in the chore in a single day.

If you need ideas for white paint colors, see this story about paint colors you may haven’t considered.

A freaky thing I do…I cannot resist collecting vintage paintbrushes from the fleamarket and garage sales. I think the aged ones look beautiful, yet I cannot bring myself to use them! Nope. Here is my favorite paint brush for any number of jobs:

If you missed the post about enchanting handpainted landscape murals printed on paper and have a moment…do be inspired by THIS LOVELINESS.

Do you have a list like this you tackle at the beginning of spring?

Pssst. I have never seen the cleaning supplies (above and below) I rely upon priced so low! The scent will lift your mood!

Make sure you’re eating plenty of healthy foods in this cold/flu season. Have you made my gluten-free, flourless, super easy to make healthy bread yet?

I independently selected products in this post—if you buy from one of my links, I may earn a commission.

Peace to you right where you are.

-michele

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