I don’t know about you, but I’m getting cabin fever here in New York City, you know when you feel you’re just a few weeks away from full blooms, warmer weather and sandals, but the temperature outside is only flirting with 40 degrees. (Ahhhhh!) So, whenever I feel like this — I like to pull out my home planner to brainstorm my spring home goals and projects to conquer before the summer fun starts.
Over the weekend Sal and I sat down to prioritize which projects to research, plan, and actually complete. I highly recommend sitting down and creating a home to-do list of your own and if you don’t know where to start grab our new home planner, which highlights common seasonal projects and gives you a place to store all your home ideas. Let me just say, it feels amazing to have a plan so I can turn off the mental list of home improvements, not to mention it’s fun to cross items off that list once complete!
Spring arrives on March 20th and will last for 92 days, 17 hours and 55 minutes…so, what are you waiting for? Let the home projects begin. ~Tori Toth
Outdoor Home Projects
The landscapers arrived at our home yesterday for the first time this year (yippie!) I can’t wait to spend time outdoors basking in the sun, but until then these are the projects on our list for warmer spring days.
- Clean Exterior Windows
- Refresh Paint Front Door
- Open Pool
- Turn On Hose Valves/Exterior Water/Sprinkler Systems
- Power Wash Home Exterior
- Update Lighting + Replace Burnt Bulbs
- Update House Numbers/Mailbox/Hardware
- Fertilize/Seed Lawn
- Mulch Beds
- Plant Spring Flowers in Pots (Front Entry/Entertaining Area)
- Start a Garden
- Organize Garage
- Clean Patio Furniture
- Set-Up Patio Furniture/Cushions/Umbrellas/Canopy & Gazebo Covers
- Remove Shrink Wrap/Clean Outdoor Kitchen
- Clean Grill
- Add New Doormat
- Add Holiday/Seasonal Wreath
Indoor Home Projects
When the days are cooler, we’ll be working on a few home improvements and spring cleaning tasks to refresh our property and keep it maintained on the inside. I couldn’t help myself and already started repainting the ceiling check out the video above.
Repaint Ceiling- Clean Light Fixtures
- Touch Up Paint + Baseboards
- Wash Windows/Blinds
- Add Wallpaper to Entry Ceiling
- Decide on Entryway Furniture
- Replace Sliding Door Screen
- Replace Area Rugs
- Buy New Coffee Table
- Clean Behind & Underneath ALL Furniture
- Fix Dryer Buttons
- Remove Lint from Dryer Vent
- Wash/Maintain All Appliances
- Purchase New Dishware
- Clean + Re-Organize Office
- Hang Office Door
- Research Dormer Project
- Change Out Bedroom Windows (Possibly ALL Upstairs Windows)
- Replace Bathroom
- New Toilet Seat
- Clean Out Closets (Seasonal Clothes)
- Add Seasonal Decor
Deciding on a Project
From paint colors to furniture and décor, it can be difficult to prioritize your home projects to create a space that feels at home. Once you brainstorm a list of to-do’s see video above from 2018 brain dump, it may get overwhelming thinking about paying for it all so set a realistic budget for your goals to see what you’ll be able to accomplish. Your budget will set your project’s boundaries and where to start. But a few questions to consider are:
- What needs to get done right now and what projects can wait?
- What projects will give you the best return on my investment? (Look at this report)
- Do you need to hire a contractor?
- Will you go room by room to complete projects? Or tackle big overall projects first, like paint?
If you’re still unsure about which projects to prioritize, start by handling any projects that can cause major damage like a leaky roof, or projects that could affect your safety in the home. Look to upgrade items that can help you save money, like replacing windows. Complete low-cost projects that make an impact, for instance new paint before tackling the bigger projects.
One other thing to remember here when deciding on a project start from the top of your property and work your way down. Why would you add new flooring, if you still need to paint the ceiling? Be smart about your choices, so you are not doing double the work. Grab a copy of our signed home planner, Make It Home: The Ultimate Property Project Planner to manage seasonal checklists, design projects and home maintenance.
One Project at a Time
Needless to say, we have A LOT of work ahead of us this spring, but our home planner will keep us on-track. Looking at all we want to accomplish can feel a bit overwhelming, but we’re up for the challenge! Are you? Come plan your spring home goals with us and let’s hold each other accountable and stay motivated. We’d love to hear what’s on your 2019 Spring Home Goal List, inside on our Facebook Page.
Happy Planning,