Welcome Home!!
There is nothing more special than seeing your front door after being away from home. It doesn’t matter whether your front door belongs to an apartment building, a mobile home, a house, or even a tent flap when you are camping – it’s home. And it is the first thing you and your guest see when they come into your home. Loving the home you live in starts right at the front door.
Here’s the Spring Clean Challenge: head outside and take a good look at the front of your home. Look at everything – the front walk, the porch, the steps leading up to the door, the numbers on your house, the mail box, the porch light, the Christmas decorations (in July LOL – been there, done that), that oozing mass of leftover Halloween pumpkin, the boxes ready for goodwill to pick up, the boxes ready for someone to pick up (been there, done that too), the furniture (we have a couple chairs and a small table on our front porch), and the front door itself.
Now are you ready to start? Remember, Get the family involved. You will be amazed by how much the kids can accomplish when they pitch in to help! And if they don't sweep as good as you or wash as good as you, don't worry about it. They will do a better job next year LOL! Please don't redo their work. Let them be proud of their accomplishments.
Always Start with the Not Me Five
- Laundry: Please don't ask me how laundry ends up outside, but between the kids' jackets, shoes, boots, socks?, and the occasional sweater - we do end up with laundry in the oddest of places.
- Dishes: Take a look, perhaps someone left a water bottle or two outside during fall clean up and it never made it back inside.
- Trash: Grab a grocery bag and walk along the outside of your front yard, along the sides of your home, and up to the front door. Gather all the trash that has accumulated over the winter.
- Papers: Once the snow melts, all sorts of surprises show up at our home. We always get newspapers blowing into the bushes in front
of the porch. Gather these up an add them to your paper stash (recycle if you have it). Remember to check closely around hedges and fences. If you have a pile of newspapers bundled by the front door to bring to the recycle depot, load it up and get it out of the way.
- Other Stuff: If you have any other stuff (left over renovation projects, old furniture, the old Christmas tree, cut branches, car parts, etc.) in your front yard see if you can get rid of it or move it someplace else.
Whew! That was the easy part! Now onto the rest...
- Mailbox, house numbers, knick-knacks, and front lights: Use a
damp cloth to wipe away the grime (remember to ensure that light
bulbs are cool before you wash them). You are going to be amazed by
how brighter the area looks when the winter buildup is gone!
- Sidewalk and Front Step: Sweep (or shovel) the sidewalk up to
your front door. Remember to sweep the front step as well. Shake out
the welcome mat! Mine can be washed, so I am going to stick it into
the washing machine so it is ready to "Welcome Spring"!
- The Front Door: Wash down your front door. It is surprising
how much dust and grit sticks to the outside. If you have windows on
your front door, give them a wash as well (both sides). Remember to
take down your Christmas wreath LOL! (Here's a hint – please don't
wash your front door if it is still below freezing out there!) My mother in law lives in an apartment, so the front of her door is the only thing she has to worry about outside her home. She keeps a cute picture of some kittens on her door. When she goes to bed at night, she turns the photo backwards - facing the door. When she wakes up in the morning, she turns it around (all the neighbors do this). During the day, as they walk through the hallways, they check each other's pictures to ensure they are turned the right way. If someone's is still facing the door, they knock to ensure they are OK. Just a little safety check.
- Add something fresh for spring: Dig out the spring or Easter
wreath you bought a few years ago and keep forgetting that you have.
SHOP at home FIRST: a friend of ours made a beautiful wreath from
pussy willows, straw from a previous year's Easter basket, a couple
fake birds from her craft supplies, and a large bright ribbon. It
looked great and didn't cost a dime!
- Rake out the last of the fall leaves: Grab a rake and get those few leaves leftover from last year. Look for new spring growth (my tulips are usually popping up by now). Clean out the bedding areas (no we are not gardening yet LOL - just clearing out the winter blahs!). If it is warm enough, I usually get the kids to rake the lawn as well. Snow mold is a problem in our area, so I like it gone as soon as possible.
Whew! That's looking better - now onto the Porch (or front step)!
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