Beech Tree News Network

As winter nears its end, my spring to-do list for the house and yard grows. I want to complete most of these tasks by the end of May or early June – before the daily temperatures soar. Stephen Covey advised: “Goals are pure fantasy unless you have a specific plan to achieve them.” So, throughout the next 15 weeks, I have written specific maintenance, minor renovation, and cleaning tasks on my calendar.

Some of my to-do list is simply home maintenance. Maurie Backman stated in “Here's What the Average American Spends on Home Maintenance” that “As a general rule, you should expect your annual home maintenance costs to amount to 1% to 4% of your home's value.” And of course, the older the home, the more likely maintenance will be needed. So, my spring maintenance tasks include painting two ceilings, sealing the balcony, painting the balcony door, and checking deck boards for any replacements needed. I’ve found that home maintenance is work intensive.

Another area of work is minor renovations, or some things I just want to change. On Angi’s website, I read that “91% of homeowners say that their home needs either minor or major renovations.” My home needs a few renovations – some now, some later. Two of the tasks on my list are electrical: moving an electrical outlet and replacing the ceiling light in the upstairs bathroom. A possible third task is changing the antenna and its wiring. For me, minor renovations happen when that dependable person can do the desired work. 

The last area of listed work involves spring cleaning the house and doing some garage cleaning. An internet article recommended that the average household deep clean their home twice per year. Deep cleaning is a time-consuming process. I usually spend several hours to an entire day cleaning one room (I’m slower than I used to be.). I like to clean one room per day and get some rest between rooms. When I clean the garage, I usually start early and quit mid-morning (a metal garage can get hot). I am always thankful when the spring cleaning is done.

I believe I’ll treat my to-do list as a challenge. Mahalia Jackson said, “You’re blessed if you have the strength to work.” And I look forward to seeing the check marks in my calendar beside the completed tasks.