Spring is just around the corner and for many homeowners this is the time of year when they turn their attentions to tidying up around the home as well as their front and back yards. By getting a head start now, while winter weather is still in the air, you can help to free up some time later. This might be especially important for homeowners who are thinking of selling their homes in spring.

During colder months, most people are spending long hours in their homes and while it may be tempting to just binge through a few shows on Netflix, getting off the couch with a mop or scrubbing brush in hand might be a better use of time, according to Dig This Design. While spring cleaning often involves putting away winter clothing like coats, sweaters and boots, there are other aspects of it that can be addressed first.

Stay on top of things
Getting a head start doesn’t require a lot of work, and over the next few weeks it can be wiser to tend to small tasks instead of trying to tackle bigger projects all at once. For instance, setting a simple schedule to, say, clean the bathroom one Saturday then help the kids tidy up their rooms the next week can keep these efforts low-stress but impactful overall. Spreading out the work over a month or more will help keep everyone in the home from grumbling too much about the tasks they might have wanted to put off. There are many great resources from DIY websites to blogs that help with planning a daily, weekly or monthly cleaning schedule that breaks the chores down into smaller, doable pieces.

Areas to focus on
There are a few parts of the home where issues can really build up over the course of a winter, and that might be a good place for homeowners to start their cleaning efforts first, according to U.S. News and World Report. While some homeowners may have the expertise to clean their furnaces successfully, others might simply start by deep cleaning carpets and floors, which can take a beating in the winter when family members track in dirt from the streets.

It may also be a good time to dust and clean windows, because there can be sizable build-ups over the course of the winter that many owners don’t always notice. By starting here, that’s less elbow grease that needs to be applied throughout the home later on.

A big final task here might be cleaning the kitchen, because there are just so many surfaces to deal with, and because the room is so well-trafficked. As such, saving the kitchen for last – and getting everyone to pitch in – can go a long way.

And when all these tasks are completed, it might be just a little easier for homeowners to avoid feeling guilty about wanting to go have a little more fun when the nicer weather arrives.

Brought to you by HMS Home Warranty.  HMS is an industry leader with over 30 years of creating success for clients and providing peace of mind for customers.  To learn more click www.hmsnational.com.