No doubt you're ready to give your home a thorough spring cleaning. Get your house and yard in tip-top shape with just one chore a day.
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Early spring, just before active growth starts, is ideal for many pruning tasks. Remove dead, damaged and diseased wood from any tree or shrub, and all suckers at the base. Garden cleanup can continue, too, as long as soil is not too soggy.
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When was the last time you checked and cleaned the stove-hood filter, the outdoor end of the dryer vent, the heating or cooling system vents? Put them into the regular rotation starting now.
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According to the National Confectioners Association, 90 million chocolate Easter bunnies and 16 billion jelly beans are made for Easter each year.
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Centralize your favorite collection in one spot so your space looks organized and the effect is more dramatic. Display small tchotchkes on a decorative tray so they really pop.
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Follow manufacturer's instructions (some may need dry cleaning) but in general, use the gentle cycle with cold or warm water and a mild detergent. Don't overfill the washer. Remove quickly after the cycle ends and hang on rods to dry.
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In just minutes, you can tidy up a kitchen by getting rid of the scraps of paper, business cards and take-out menus stuck to the fridge. Clear out the odds and ends and your kitchen will look neat.
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Once temps reach about 52 degrees, your seeds will grow, so if the weather is warm enough now try adding seed to bare patches. If the whole yard is thin, try overseeding. The steps are the same for both: Rake stiffly first, then cast a thin layer of seeds, add about half an inch of soil and gently rake again.
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Instead of basic white linens, opt for color and a touch of pattern, like these lime green and white houndstooth placemats to keep fancy china from looking too fussy.
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Freshen up the look of your counter tops this spring by swapping your utensil holder for a terra-cotta pot—use one for the fruit bowl too. As the weather grows warmer, your kitchen will already be a little sunnier.
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Rotate your vegetable crops, growing them in different spots each season, to keep the soil healthy.
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Many stains are on the surface of the grout and can be removed with sandpaper. Just fold the sandpaper into a crease, and work it back and forth along the grout line. If sandpaper doesn't work, you may have better results with a pencil eraser.
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Got a remodel coming up? Your heads will be safe thanks to the Hoover Dam. Hard hats were invented for its construction in 1933.
Empty the refrigerator completely, tossing all old food and expired condiments. Wipe down the walls, drawers and shelves with an anti-grease cleanser or mixture of 1 gallon water plus 1 cup ammonia, ½ cup vinegar and ¼ cup baking soda.
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Did you know that radishes are ready 25-30 days after you plant them? If you wait too long, they actually become pithy. If you start now, you could harvest fast-growing spring veggies next month.
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The wealth and abundance area is in the back left corner of a house (or room). To add prosperity to your life on tax day, add blues, reds and purples here. Decorate with artwork featuring what you want in this special section of your home.
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Vacuum everything: use attachments or the floor nozzle on the walls, furniture and baseboards. Empty the canister or bag for maximum effectiveness. Then throw everything—plastic toys, shower caddies, even sturdy knick-knacks—into the dishwasher for a once-a-year cleaning.
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In northern climates start sowing your seeds indoors; in warmer zones it's time to transplant seedlings into your garden. Install stakes, a trellis or cages now so they won't interfere with root growth later on.
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Pretty, easy flowers: Rate My Space user nyclq swears by large swags of dogwood branches inside an ultra-modern vase for the perfect springtime centerpiece or decoration.
Start with the bookshelves: clear everything off and give it a good dusting. Donate or sell any books you no longer want and replace everything in its newly clean space. Do the same for all videos, DVDs, electronic games, and music. Lastly, sort through your computer equipment: donate everything that is still usable and find a recycling center for dead electronics.
After winter's ice melts away, either remove the studs from your tires or replace them with regular tires, storing your winter tires for next year. Some states require removal by specific dates so be sure to find out what's appropriate for your area.
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It's time to turn on the dehumidifier if you've got one. While you're at it, freshen up a musty basement by airing it out (open windows and doors if possible), then wash the floors and walls by mixing 1 cup water with ¾ cup of bleach.
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Before you add garden clippings to your heap during spring cleanup, harvest nutrient-rich compost from the bottom of the pile. Filter it with an old screen to remove branches, stones and twigs, and sprinkle liberally on beds. Give the remaining pile a flip; bring the bottom to the top and moisten as needed.
Replace your heavy winter linens with spring and summer bedding. Air out comforters, quilts and duvets then have everything cleaned for storage until fall.
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Beat small rugs outside and let them hang in the sun for a few hours to air out.
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Call it spring cleaning, call it an allergy-reducer, or just call it cumbersome...but don't skip it. It's a good idea to dust the blades and external motor of your ceiling fan once a month. Use a dusting cloth with an extension, a broom with an old t-shirt tied around it or climb up on a ladder with a dust cloth in hand.
To keep air moving through your home at this time of year, open the ridge vent now. If you don't have one, keep your gable vents open all year long.
Start with a low and wide terra cotta planter, about 36 inches round, with a pedestal foot. (Make sure it's been fired in a kiln.) Cover water hole with plastic and fill pot half way with sand. Add wood and light!
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Winter rain and snow means lots of mud on carpets. Now that the skies are clearing, give your carpets a thorough cleaning—or better yet hire a professional. Trust us; you'll be thrilled to have clean carpets and extra time to enjoy the spring weather.
Try this for an extra burst of color: buy a bowl-shaped planter and fill with only one kind of blooming plant such as pansies or violas—all in the same color. Whether it's white, red, pink or another shade you love, strategically filling your planters with one color will give your porch a more elegant look in minutes.
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