Spring Cleaning Tips

With the new season beginning, it’s time to think about spring cleaning. This is a great opportunity to start getting your home in order by cleaning it top to bottom. I believe in a clean home not only for the obvious reasons but for the fact that it supports an organized and healthy lifestyle for your family.

Declutter

Before you begin, be sure to get rid of the garbage and extraneous clutter before cleaning. Purge, purge, purge. If you haven’t used something in over a year, you probably never will. Throw away or donate to charity.

Tackle One Room at a Time

You may be excited to get started cleaning, but be careful not to get distracted with too many projects in your home at once. It’s important to clean one room at time. By doing so, you’ll see the difference immediately!

Clean Windows

For me, clean windows are essential! They provide beautiful sunlight in and allow everything to be seen more clearly. After being shut up inside for months, it is so refreshing to open the windows and have fresh air flowing through the house. I like to to have scented candles lit as I go through my list of chores.

Clean Corners

By cleaning the nooks and crannies in your rooms, you’ll have an instant change. You’ll see the changes as you dust the corners of the ceiling and vacuum the edges of the room. It’ll make the space feel brighter and bigger.

Check Your AC

As spring begins, be sure to prep for warm weather. It’s important to change your home’s air filters and have the AC cleaned and serviced to use in the hot summer months.

Clean the Gutters

After the leaves fall in autumn, make sure you clean your gutters of debris that has gathered inside the gutters, eave troughs, downspouts and drainpipes. This will keep those April showers from damaging your home and provide a smooth flow through the gutter’s route runoff.

- Laura

Amy’s Favorite Things for the Kitchen

Since being given a Barbie mansion as a child, Amy has grown passionate about combining colors, textures and objects together in her designs. With her creative edge, checkout these beautiful items she recommends for any kitchen.

Belle Foret Pot Filler Faucet

When it comes to the kitchen, create an innovative focal point to the open area behind the stove with a pot filler. You’ll love this one from Belle Foret as it makes your life easier to fill large stock pots right at the cooktop.

Wood-Mode Pull-Out Chopping Block

No matter the size of your kitchen, there never seems to be enough space. With Wood-Mode’s pull-out chopping block, you’ll enjoy it’s convenience and ease of use. Amy recommends installing the chopping block above the trash unit ,so that you can just wipe what you don’t need into the trash below.

Sub-Zero Built-In Refrigerator and Freezer

Simplicity is the new trend in the kitchen and hiding your appliances has never been easier. With Sub-Zero’s built-in refrigerator and freezer, you’ll enjoy it’s seamless decor and that the hinges and grills are not visible. Sub-Zero is one of the only refrigerator manufacturers that designs a completely concealed unit. This model has two distinct temperature zones which ensure the freshest food and energy efficiency.

Windows and Natural Light

It’s always a great idea to use windows in the kitchen to introduce natural light into your space.

Built-In Microwave Cabinet

Sometimes the microwave can be a real eye sore in an amazing kitchen. Consider installing your microwave in a built-in base cabinet that allows you to save space and hide it from your sight line.

Bay Windows for the Kitchen

For kitchens that may be small in size, consider adding a bay window. Bay windows are a great option that can help bring in extra sunlight with windows projecting outward from the main walls of the home. They are also very inviting and can provide extra storage and interior space if needed. Below are several popular bay window designs:

Angled Bay Windows

These are the most popular design and are often just called a bay windows. They consist of three or more windows that protrude from the house and slant back toward the interior walls at 30 or 45 degree angles. They can easily replace standard large windows, and they add light and square footage to a kitchen to make it appear bigger. These types of windows add dimension to a dining area, creating a cozy seating nook. Many people enjoy this feature and typically place their kitchen table next to the nook in order to use it as seating.

Box Bay Windows

Box bay windows come in a variety of sizes and may be used in different parts of the kitchen. These square-shaped windows have 90-degree corner angles and project out from the side of the house. If you have larger box bay windows, you may consider adding a shelf seat in the kitchen to expand the interior room space. Also, smaller box bay windows can be installed in front of the kitchen sink to provide an area for plants and herbs.

Garden Bay Windows

For homeowners who have many indoor plants in the kitchen, garden bay windows help provide additional light. This window can also help kitchens that are very small, dark and uninviting by increasing light and space.

Bow Windows

For elegant and large kitchens, consider the bow window. Bow windows are designed to project beyond the exterior wall of the home, providing a wider view of a garden or street outside. They generally combine four or more casement windows, which join together to form an arch, and come in many different sizes. As beautiful as these windows are, keep in mind that they are more expensive than angular or box bay windows.