DIY HOME MAINTENANCE PROJECT

We’re getting our home ready for the Spring Real Estate Market by paring down and cleaning the most-forgotten places. At the same time, we’re also simplifying our schedules and daily cleaning routines with these easy methods that will make a spotless home easier – and faster – than ever before!

Today, I’m sharing one of my top tips for cleaning up while scaling down your To-Do Lists.

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But first, let’s take a look at our home, as it currently is this Spring:

Our Simplified Spring Home Tour:

We’re scaling back our to-do list and paring down our belongings so our Spring will run much more smoothly as we prepare to sell our home.

Here’s the current view from our foyer into the living room.

While we haven’t really touched this area since our big renovation last fall (you can see those details here: Fall 2018 One Room Challenge Foyer Reveal), we have kept it tidy by minimizing our furniture and accessories in this space to just one area.

Entryway Table Styling

I’ve combined decorative accessories with functionality by using trays, bowls, and boxes to conceal our most utilitarian items within arm’s reach of the door. The bowl of oyster shells, collected from our most recent family vacation, provides us with gentle memories every time we see them.

A Home Office That Works For Everyone

We recently completed this project, allowing all 3 of us to use this one space in our own unique ways. For a breakdown of exactly how we’ve maximized storage and style in this space, you can see the full reveal here: Shared Home Office: Blending Decor Styles For A Space That Works Harmoniously.

Our home office blends modern and traditional styles and is, quite frankly, my favorite space in our home now. It’s the one space that feels most reflective of our entire family.

Spring Living Room Updates

We’ve cleaned out the clutter and added back only one simple seasonal item that makes our home feel like Spring has sprung!

My favorite Spring decor item – this faux fern I’ve lovingly dubbed Fernadette Peters – has finally made her 2019 debut. Perched on the coffee table, she’s a large accent, requiring no maintenance! The perfect easy decor item!

Spring Kitchen Updates

I’ve traded out the pine cones and candy canes for lemons and limes. I’ve also cleaned off the tops of our counters and cabinets, in anticipation of the new countertops and backsplash we’ll be installing soon.

I’ve also gone dark with these chairs. Remember that they were once a cornflower blue? Well, I’ve changed them again – this time with a can of flat black spray paint. I have plans for a really cool seat cushion to DIY. I promise I’ll do a full tutorial when they’re complete. in the interim, I do wonder if anyone has a bench in their kitchen and actually likes it. I’m considering buying one to place against the window, but I’m not sure how much we’d really use it.

Instead of going all out with an Easter tablescape, we’re really scaling back this season and loving our new, uncluttered home’s feel. A simple bunch of pussy willow sets the tone but doesn’t overwhelm.

We’ve installed a new chandelier in this space that is more consistent with the architectural style of our home but have offset the traditional style with these new bamboo chairs. They’re so funky and I love them!

Of course, I still need to recover the seats of all the chairs. As soon as I find a fabric I love, that is. For now, I’m enjoying the retro pastel fabric’s Spring vibes.

These taper candle holders are my newest home addition. I love finding unique pieces to add to my collection and I got these from my friend Kim’s shop Lulu & Olive Vintage.

Now let’s talk about all the work that has gone into getting the first floor of my house in tip-top shape for the real estate market with an easy and quick Spring window deep cleaning.

Cleaning Vinyl Windows

This deep cleaning method is fast and super effective! Your windows will look nearly new in under 10 minutes. Plus, I’m showing you how to make a chemical-free cleaner that repels bugs and makes your glass shine!

Step One: Use a cleaning brush or old toothbrush to knock all the built-on dirt loose. Make sure you access the inside and outside of your windows, to get the best results. For my vinyl, I was able to just tilt them inside to access the exterior. You may need to remove your storm windows first and go outside to do this. It’s a tad more time-consuming, but the results will be worth it.

Step Two: Vaccuum every inch of your windows, including the glass and the screens, to remove loose dirt. Use your upholstery attachment for the screens and you’ll have better results.

Step Three: Spray a bug-repelling cleaner onto your windows, making sure you cover every surface (including the glass, panes, and interiors).

1/2 cup white vinegar
10 drops mint essential oils
10 drops lemon essential oils
glass spray bottle
water

To mix, add essential oils to a glass container, using a funnel. Then add the vinegar. It’s very important that you mix the vinegar and oils first, as water and oil won’t mix. Vinegar acts as an antibacterial agent, a glass cleaner, and a solvent for the oils. Once they’ve been thoroughly mixed (I simply shake the bottle), then fill the remainder of the container with hot water and shake again.

Bugs – especially spiders – hate the smell of mint and will stay away. This is awesome because it means you won’t have to clean out spider webs as frequently. Use this solution every time you clean – and you can use it anywhere, even on most countertops (don’t ever use vinegar on marble).

Step Four: Scrub each crevice, while wet with cleaning solution, using an old toothbrush or cleaning brush. Since my windows are vinyl and have begun to discolor, I also added a dap of toothpaste to brighten the plastic.

Step Five: Wipe down all surfaces with a warm, damp cloth.

Step Six: Use a dry cloth to wipe off the water. Then buff the glass by rubbing the windows dry, in a circular motion, until no streaks are visible.

I made sure to even scrub down the window hardware because, you guys, I don’t think it’s ever been cleaned in the 20 years this house has been standing. It’s not perfect, but it looks so much better now!

Over the past three days, I’ve completed the entire downstairs, using this method. Each window has taken me less than 10 minutes. Once you get in the groove, things go even faster!

This blog post was created in participation with the Breath of Fresh Air Spring Home Tour, hosted by Mansa at This is Simplicite. Over 30 bloggers are all coming together this week to show you our favorite updates for your Spring home. To see the other posts, click any of the thumbnails below:

I’ve been reading these blogs all week and I promise there are some you do not want to miss. So go ahead and click through to see everyone’s completed projects and tips.

HAPPY SPRING CLEANING!!
xoxo
Teri

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