Spring is here and it’s time to get busy! Your May home and garden to-do list may look like a mountain of work, but with a little organization, you can get your garden and house ready for an enjoyable summer season.

Garden Projects

1. If you added compost or mulch last year, turn this into the top layer of soil. Split perennials that have gotten crowded and start your seedlings indoors
2. If it’s warm enough to plant annual flowers, get them in the ground so you can add more mulch to avoid encouraging the weeds.
3. Check your stone patio for any damage from the cold. Go ahead and clean the deck before it gets too hot.
4. Check the condition of your hoses and, if needed, lay them out along walkways so it’s easy to turn on the hose bib and water pots and those new annuals.
5. If you have fruiting trees, now is the time to add mesh or netting to keep the birds from having a party with your harvest.
6. Check all your solar lights and replace batteries or fixtures as needed.
7. Check the edging along sidewalks or patios to make sure it’s still in good shape and hasn’t been damaged by cold, pets or the final mowing last summer. Once the plants start filling in, you won’t want to mess with pulling up edging.

House Projects

1. While it’s cool, tackle some of the things that will take some muscle. Wash your windows with a partner so you can point out each other’s streaks and enjoy your beautiful garden!
2. Open up that garage door and get busy. Dig into cardboard boxes, toss dried up paint cans, purge what you can and neatly stack the rest.
3. Inside the house, clean from the roof down. Wear protective eye coverings and dust down the ceiling fans. Wipe the dead bugs out of the glass shades. Replace lightbulbs as necessary.
4. Take a look at your outlet covers. Remove and wash if they’re getting grubby. Also, take a look at your baseboards. Dust or wipe away any grime.
5. Don’t forget blinds and windowsills. If blinds won’t give up the dust, you may need to replace them. Check vertical blinds to make sure they’re in good shape.
6. Pull furniture from the wall and clean the rooms in long stripes. Dust the floor, mop the floor, put the furniture back and move onto the next stripe.
7. While furniture is still on the dirty part of the floor, wipe down all visible surfaces, polish or treat the leather.

Final Thoughts for May Home and Garden To-Dos

There’s a lot to do in the spring, but if you can hit it hard before warm weather starts, you can get a lot done both indoors and out. Then sit back, relax and celebrate your handiwork!

Springtime is one of the best seasons in southern Oregon for homeowners to sell, and homebuyers can benefit by having a large selection of properties to choose from. The spring selling season can go by quickly, so there are some things both buyers and sellers should do to prepare themselves for this exciting time of year.

Sellers

Sellers who are getting ready to put their home on the market this spring can do a few quick chores around the house. It is a good time to declutter and donate. Go through the living room, kitchen, and closets and gather up items, knickknacks, and clothing that you have not used or worn for some time. An easy method to complete this task is to get two bins for bags. One of the containers will be for trash, and the other one will be for items to donate.

Springtime is the perfect time to do a thorough house cleaning. Dust each room from top to bottom, and have the carpets shampooed. Wipe down mirrors, windowsills, and cabinets. You will want to make your living space easy to maintain, so when the buyers come, the house looks orderly. Quick things you can do every morning before leaving the house are:

• Make sure the kitchen sink, counter, and table are clean
• Hide any laundry
• Straighten the pillows on the couch
• Make all the beds
• Wipe down the bathrooms and straighten the towel

Curb appeal is very important, and it is easier to achieve in the springtime with the green grass and growing flowers. Have your lawn neatly landscaped and trees trimmed back. Add some color with planted flowers or if you do not room for plantings, add some interest with colorful potted or hanging flowers.

When buyers approach your home, they will see a welcome entrance with a well-cared-for piece of property, which means you may get many offers and be able to move on quickly. This selling season in southern Oregon offers a lot of opportunity for sellers. If you need help preparing your home for sale or have questions about the market value contact me today.

Buyers

In the springtime, there are many properties to choose from. The best thing a buyer can do to get ready for the fast spring selling season is to be pre-approved by a trusted mortgage lender.

In order to get pre-approved, you will need certain documents. Check with your lender to get a complete checklist, but some of the common items requested are:

• Paycheck stubs
• 1099s
• Tax filings
• Bank statements

It may be a good time to check your credit and see if there are any discrepancies you need to clear up. One thing all buyers should do to prepare for making a home purchase is contacting a real estate agent to learn about the process and get setup to be alerted when new homes hit the market.

If you are a buyer wondering how to begin the home shopping process and want to start getting alerts, contact me to find the home of your dreams.