Beech Tree News Network

With warmer weather, my spring to-do list for the house and yard has grown. I want to complete most of the tasks by mid-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 few weeks, I have written specific maintenance, minor renovation, and cleaning tasks on my calendar.

Some of my to-do list are simple maintenance. Maurie Backman, in “Here's What the Average American Spends on Home Maintenance,” stated: “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 maintenance tasks include painting two ceilings, sealing the balcony, painting the balcony door, and checking deck boards for needed replacements. I’ve found that home maintenance is work intensive.

Another area of work is minor renovations, or things I just want to change. On Angi’s website, I read: “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 a bathroom. A possible third task is moving the antenna wiring. For me, minor renovations happen when a skilled, 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. Since I’m slower than I used to be, I usually spend several hours to an entire day cleaning one room. I like to clean one room or area then rest before moving on to another. 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.” I look forward to seeing check marks in my calendar beside completed tasks. And if a task isn’t completed, it will likely find its way to a future list.