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!