Everyone knows about spring cleaning, but some forget this annual ritual pertains to the yard as well as the home. After sitting dormant all winter, your lawn and plant beds need some freshening up to help them thrive throughout the spring and summer. Here are five maintenance steps to set your garden up for success: Read more
Spring Garden Maintenance in 5 Steps
Posted on April 02, 2019 by James Florence
Posted in: Seasonal, Landscaping Tips
Tags: consumer tips, spring cleaning, home maintenance, landscaping, irrigation, landscape maintenance
Garage Organization in Five Simple Steps
Posted on March 22, 2018 by James Florence
It’s spring cleaning season once again, but this year, rather than stick to safe, predictable tasks like cleaning your upholstery, you’ve decided to tackle something bigger—something outside of your comfort zone. That’s right…you’re finally going to organize the garage. Truly, you are a brave soul. However, courage alone isn’t enough to subdue an out-of-control garage—you also need a strategy. To help you, we’ve boiled down the process to five simple steps. Read more
Posted in: House Cleaning, Seasonal
Tags: spring cleaning, home
5 Starting Points for Spring Cleaning
Posted on March 01, 2018 by James Florence
Are you excited about spring cleaning but unsure where to begin? Consider these sensible starting points: Read more
Posted in: Windows, House Cleaning, Seasonal
Tags: spring cleaning, home
The Art of the Tweak: Small Change but Big Home Improvement
Posted on April 19, 2016 by Chris Bjorklund
As I mentioned in last month’s newsletter, I’ve been busy having three bedrooms and a bathroom painted, which forced me to clean out my closets. The project was time-consuming, but I’m happy to say I didn’t spend a lot of money. It made our home more aesthetically pleasing and I’m looking forward to having houseguests again.
That got me thinking about other little things my husband and I could do to spruce things up that wouldn’t cost an arm and a leg. Read more
Posted in: Consumer News, Home Tips, Home Improvement, Savvy Tips
Tags: consumer tips, painting, spring cleaning, home improvement, lighting, remodeling, bathroom
Time to Tidy Up!
Posted on March 22, 2016 by Chris Bjorklund
I’ve been tidying up my house since mid-January. To be truthful, I didn’t intentionally set out to declutter and reorganize my home. Instead, it was a byproduct of my latest home improvement project. After nine years, it was time to re-paint a bathroom, three bedrooms and all the closets in my house. Every organizer will tell you to completely empty your closets and then edit the things you’re going to put back into them. So, that’s how my tidying got started. Now, I’m continuing to tackle other rooms and even our garage. I’m on a roll!
Popular organizing books suggest only keeping things that you truly love and giving or throwing away everything else. Read more
Posted in: Consumers, Home Tips, Savvy Tips
Tags: consumer tips, painting, spring cleaning, house cleaning
Happy Spring and Happy Scrubbing
Posted on March 27, 2012 by Chris Bjorklund
When was the last time you vacuumed under and behind your refrigerator? It’s amazing how much crud builds up back there, as I discovered while getting a start on my spring cleaning. As I scrubbed away, I began thinking about the origin of this annual ritual.
To find out more, I called Ernie Andrade, owner of Allbright Maintenance Services, a Diamond Certified company. He told me that the idea originated in China. The Chinese clean homes in anticipation of the New Year. A thorough cleaning eliminates bad luck and misfortune from the previous year. In Jewish custom, Passover, which comes around April, is a time of house cleaning as well. And when homes were heated with coal, Read more
Posted in: House Cleaning, Home Tips, Savvy Tips
Tags: spring cleaning, house cleaning
Take Simple Steps to Maintain Your Upholstery
Posted on August 10, 2011 by Matt Solis
Preventative measures and regular maintenance go a long way toward preserving the beauty of your upholstery. To increase your upholstery’s longevity and keep it looking like new, consider the following tips:
Dust and clean upholstery on a weekly basis. Use the brush attachment on your vacuum to remove dirt from all the corners and folds of your upholstery. Remember to clean the back and legs to maintain a consistent finish.
Only use manufacturer-recommended cleaners. Every piece of upholstered furniture has a care label that indicates the cleaning materials that are safe to use on it. Make sure you follow these instructions. If the recommended clean
er doesn’t take care of a stain, Read more
Posted in: Home Tips
Tags: spring cleaning, home maintenance