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At this point, you’re well aware of how much COVID-19 has impacted our typical daily life, from working at the kitchen table with your school-aged co-workers to “hopping on” more Zoom video meetings than you could have ever imagined. Maybe you’re retired and the social distancing measures have put a damper on the joy of life away from the daily grind.
The coronavirus pandemic has not magically added more time to our days. In fact, your days could be even more chaotic as you watch after the kids, prepare every meal, and feel the pressure of navigating a new work setup. So, just because most of us are spending more time at home does not mean you have exponentially more time to get every project done. However, the chances are you have been looking for a way to escape all the talk about the crisis we are in.
If you need some stimulation or simply a few moments away from the makeshift office, we have some ideas for you. We are going to provide ways you can improve every area of your home without having to go to a crowded hardware store. These projects won’t all be glamorous, but you’ll be glad you put in the hard work.
Start with a few simple tasks like flipping your mattress around and changing out your sheets. While you’re at it, vacuum under your bed, especially if you have pets. You never know what has collected under your bed.
As you clean the room, go ahead and mess around with some new furniture layouts. This could provide a fresh area as you adjust to spending more time at home. Think about creating a layout that provides the most functionality for you and your family during this time.
After this, focus on dusting your shelves, coffee and end tables, and other horizontal surfaces. An important surface to keep in mind are the blades on your ceiling fan. These are an easy target for dust to collect.
While you’re focused on wiping down surfaces, you can move to the windows. Dust and smudges don’t look very appealing. You can crack the window and vacuum or wipe out any dirt that has collected between the window and the screen. Check for holes in the window screens and patch them with a screen repair kit as needed.
Sort through your clothes and closets when you need a break from the cleaning. Make a collection of clothes and items you can donate or sell online.
Start by cleaning out your stove and refrigerator. Unfortunately, food doesn’t always stay where it should in the stove or the fridge. Leaks and spills can cause stickiness and foul smells. The longer you wait to clean up the mess, the harder it could be to get it removed.
Take the cleaning a step further by pulling the stove or fridge away from the wall — these are two of the most neglected areas of a kitchen. It’s a task that nobody wants to do. You’ll be surprised how much food, dirt, and grime collect beneath your appliances.
Is your electrical panel properly labeled? It can be a frustrating task to identify which breaker is associated with a specific room or appliance in your home. Now is a good time to be sure the breaker panel is labeled correctly.
Another important task is to change your air filter. Many homeowners forget to replace their heating and cooling air filter on a regular basis. Each system will require a different filter size. You will want to be sure you get a filter with the proper MERV rating. A lower MERV rating means less filtration, while a higher MERV rating will capture more dust, dander, and particles. Getting a filter with too high of a MERV rating can add strain to your system.
Familiarize yourself with important appliances and systems in your basement. Locate your water shut-off valve, water heater, heating and cooling system, sump pump, and other important appliances. Gain an understanding of how they function in case you need to know how to respond during severe weather or an emergency situation.
Far too often, garages become a glorified storage unit leaving your parking in the driveway or on the street. Capitalize on the beautiful weather and focus on reorganizing your garage. Take the time to add some shelving, build a workbench, and do away with the non-essential items you’ve been holding onto.
You can also give some love to your small engines. Clean up your lawnmower, weed eater, snow blower, and other equipment. This might include scraping the deck of your lawnmower, changing the oil or gas, replacing the spark plug, cleaning the carburetor, and more. Taking care of your equipment will assure you can take care of your lawn all summer long.
A common focus for homeowners right now is landscaping. Add some new plants and flowers throughout your lawn, on the front porch, or the back deck. Experiment with adding greenery inside your home too. There has never been a more important time to create an environment that you can enjoy and be proud of.
The number of cleaning and house projects can seem like an endless list. There is always something you can be doing. If all this extra time at home has you thinking beyond general cleaning and maintenance, get in touch with Premier Construction. We specialize in custom home additions, basement finishes, sunrooms, garages, and more. Our service area includes the greater Des Moines area. We pride ourselves on being on time and on budget with every project we do.
We would love to make your vision come to life. Simply fill out our contact form or give us a call to get started.