The long, grueling winter is finally over! At last, spring is finally here!

Now is when we start thinking about spring cleaning inside and outside our homes. Spring cleaning and sprucing up not only make us feel better but can also add value to your home by upping its curb appeal!

It can become overwhelming to know where to begin with so much to do.

To make things less overwhelming, begin with the easy stuff. After a long winter, the outside of your home could probably use a good clean-up. Start by raking and disposing of any left-over leaves around your house, yard, or flower beds. Next, pick up and dispose of fallen branches, dog waste and other debris. Then, tidy up the flowerbeds by removing dead flowers and stalks to make way for new growth. When the weather gets warm enough, freshen up or replace old mulch from the previous year.

It’s always a good rule of thumb to walk around your house and property and make a list of things that need to be cleaned or repaired. Sweep porches, steps, walkways, and patios. Get rid of cobwebs on your porch or deck. Clean porch and patio furniture. Wash dirty windows and spray down dirty decks, porches, and patios with a hose. Clean and clear away debris from gutters and downspouts. Fix hanging gutters and replace damaged siding. Inspect and clean outdoor light fixtures and replace light bulbs. Replace damaged wood on porches and decks. Fix broken stairs and handrails. Seal up concrete cracks or freshen up a gravel driveway with new gravel.

If you want to spend some money, have your home’s siding power-washed. Also, have your roof inspected for damaged or missing shingles and replace them if necessary. A well-maintained house will not only make your neighbors happy but will boost the value of your home.

Spring is the time to start beautifying your outdoor landscape! Next, start preparing your trees and shrubs for new growth by pruning them. Start by pruning or cutting branches back to live, green stems. Non-electric pruning shears are best for this as it leaves a protective layer on the branch. For flowering perennials, trim them to a height of 4-5 inches. For ornamental grasses, trim them down to 2-3 inches to allow for new growth. Spring is also the best time for planting shrubs, trees, and hardy perennial flowers. For everything else, wait until the last frost date has passed. When planting, adding compost to the soil will help fertilize and feed whatever you have grown.

For a healthy green lawn, apply fertilizer about three weeks after the grass starts to green. However, be sure to water your lawn a few days before applying fertilizer so you don’t burn the grassroots. Pick good weather to fertilize as heavy or consistent rain can wash away the fertilizer. If there are bare spots in your yard, fix them by reseeding.

For parts of the yard badly damaged, start by raking away dead grass and adding about a ½ inch of topsoil and/or compost to the existing soil. A square metal rake is best for this task. Then add grass seed and lightly cover the seed with soil and a protective layer of straw. Give the newly planted grass time to grow before mowing it. The rule of thumb is to wait 4-6 weeks or until the new growth is at least 3 inches high.

When the outdoor temperature stays consistently above 32 degrees at night, you can start preparing for annual flowers. Prepare by purchasing potting soil and compost, then taking stock of the gardening tools. Do your research on the flowers you wish to purchase. Some flowers love the shade, while others need direct sunlight. Check outside your home to see which parts stay mostly shaded and which parts get 6+ hours of direct sunlight.

Be sure to read the instruction card with your plants and follow accordingly. Some examples of annual flowers that are beautiful and low-maintenance are begonias, geraniums, impatiens, petunias, and pansies. There are also a variety of other plants like ornamental grasses that can fill in or give a little pop to your garden.

Don’t wait until the last moment to tackle all of these chores. Begin small and keep up the momentum, and before you know it, you will be finished. You will be able to take pride in a job well done, admire your landscape, and know you increased the value of your home with a little bit of elbow grease!