Hello, all!  May’s calendar has arrived!  The calendar is titled, “Maintenance May” because May is all about getting our homes ready for summer!  Whether you live in a small house, large house, apartment, etc. you MUST maintain your home to ensure 1.  home efficiency 2.  no issues that can cause further damage down the road.  House maintenance can be a little scary, but I promise it’s not too bad.  I will post every day, as usual on my TikTok.  Feel free to use those videos as reference for what you need to do.

A quick note:  if there are days on the calendar that do not apply to your home or situation, feel free to sub those out for any days you missed on the February, March or April calendars.

 Now, let’s dive into May’s calendar and go through it. 

Day 1 – Clean flowerbeds. 

            If you’ve got flowerbeds or pots, clean them up.  Having the debris covering them is great for winter as it helps to keep them warm and snug until warmer weather arrives.  However, once it warms up you will want to remove all of that debris as it can cause mold and harm your plants.

Day 2 – Unpack summer items

            If you, like me, keep bubbles, chalk, swimsuits, water guns, etc. in a basket upstairs during summer days then you’ll want to remember to get that stuff out.  If you don’t keep a summer basket on the main floor of your home near an outside door, I would 100% recommend it.  So often those items can get scattered all over the house, this is an easy way to keep it in one central location.

Day 3 – Connect hose

            This is pretty self-explanatory.  In the wintertime, you need to unhook the hose from the spicket to prevent frozen or even burst pipes.  But, now that it’s warming up we’ll need to hook it back up.

Day 4 – Clean out pantry

            We will do a deep dive organization of our pantry in June.  For now, clear out any items that won’t suit you for summertime.  For instance we don’t eat soup well in the warmer weather so we’ll donate those cans of soup to a food pantry.  Crockpots are another item we just don’t use much in summertime, they can be stored away for now.  By doing this, we are freshening up our space and keeping it tidier.  As those long summer days call for being outdoors, we don’t want to risk the indoors getting too cluttered or messy.

Day 5 – Refresh living space

            Get a couple new pillows, a new throw, maybe some fresher/brighter smelling candles—just something to brighten up those living areas.

Day 6 – Swap out your doormat

            Whether you’re buying new or just getting out a different one, it’s a good idea to freshen up that doormat.  It’s welcoming for guests and you can ensure dirt is not being tracked inside.

Day 7 – Clean out gutters

            This is a task that may be best handled by a professional if you don’t own an extension ladder or are not comfortable being up high.  Removing the old leaves and debris from your gutters ensure they are working properly and no critters can make their home in there.

Day 8 – Plant flowers

            I always suggest people plant flowers.  It gives me a boost of endorphins, plus it gives your house a much-needed pop of color in the summertime!  I always plant the unkillable flowers such as petunias and gerbera daisies.  If you’ve never tried vinca, that’s another good one for beginners. 

Day 9 – Test smoke detectors

            Ensure all smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly.

Day 10 – Change A/C filter

            If you haven’t yet, be sure to change that filter.  It’s really simple to do and it does not require a professional’s help.  If you’re unsure, watch a YouTube video!

Day 11 – Clean out sink drains

            Run hot water then toss 1 part baking soda to 2 parts cleaning vinegar in those sink/shower/bath drains.  If you can, close those drains up and let that concoction do its thing for about 10-15 minutes.  Once the time is up, run some more hot water through there and you’re good to go!  Musty smell, no more!

Day 12 – Clean purses and bags

            With the weather changing and school getting out, this is a good time to wipe down those purses with a disinfectant wipe and throw those bags and backpacks in the washer.

Day 13 – Replace old Tupperware

            Yeah, yeah – people are gonna come at me.  I know Tupperware is a brand, not a product… but I’ll never stop calling it that.  With the warmer weather, we may be finding more fresh produce to eat.  If that’s the case, toss out that old TUPPERWARE that isn’t being used and get other products that are more effective for storing fresh fruits and vegetables.

Day 14 – Clear away old leaves and debris

            We do this for the same reason we did it for the flowerbed, get those old leaves and debris off of your yard so fresh grass can grow nice and healthy.

Day 15 – Freshen carpets

            I like to shampoo my carpets after winter is over, especially when living with dogs.  If you don’t have a shampooer (check out my Tineco one!!), at the very least sprinkle baking soda on your carpet and vacuum it up.  Alternatively, you can put water and vinegar into a spray bottle and spritz the carpet with that.

Day 16 – Wipe down front door

            Your front door is the first way your guests are greeted when they arrive at your home, make sure it is looking its best.  Wipe down the dirt, disinfect the handle and clean the window.

Day 17 – Replace pet toys

            Time to get some more toys for our furry companions, possibly even ones they can take outdoors!

Day 18 – Clean fridge coils

            Make sure you’re getting the longest life possible out of your fridge.  You can do this by pulling it out and vacuuming those coils.

Day 19 – Check fire extinguisher

            I’ve gotten a lot of feedback from followers saying they do not own an extinguisher.  I purchased a very small one from Lowe’s or Home Depot years ago, now.  It was like $20 or $30 bucks, so very cheap.  It’s nice to know if a grease fire were to start or if a candle were to tip over, you have something close by to contain the situation.  I keep mine under the kitchen sink, in the front of the cabinet.

Day 20 – Check if caulk needs replaced

            Walk around your home, especially the bathrooms, and inspect the caulking.  Paying close attention to the bathtub, shower and toilets.  It’s recommended that you replace your caulk every 5 years.  Definitely make sure you replace anything that looks extremely worn.  If it does, it’s probably not doing its job.

Day 21 – Paint touch up

            Pretty self-explanatory, touch up any walls in your home that could use a fresh coat of paint.  We have some pretty light walls and the heavily trafficked areas need touched up at least once a year.

Day 22 – Clean window screens

            This is an easy one to forget.  I encourage you to take a damp, light colored rag or paper towel and wipe it across a screen in your window.  You would be surprised just how dirty they can get.  Pop them out, lay them in the yard and spray them with the hose.

Day 23 – Wipe down outdoor furniture

            Trust me when I say, don’t powerwash your outdoor furniture.  I learned that one the hard way.  A powerwasher can be a bit too rough.  Instead, use some dish soap and a hose on those items.  Use some diluted bleach on anything that has mold.

Day 24 – Vacuum vents

            Take off the floor vent grates and stick your vacuum’s hose down there.  You’d be surprised how much dirt accumulates just in arm’s reach.

Day 25 – Clean garbage disposal

            I personally don’t have one, so I’ll be skipping this day.  But I would clean it the same way I do the drains, baking soda and vinegar.  However, once you’ve finished that step I would throw some lemon peels in there.

Day 26 – Repair weatherstripping

            Apparently, it’s fairly easy to replace weatherstripping.  We will soon find out.  Take a look at your front & back door when it’s closed.  Do you see any light coming through?  Do you feel a breeze?  If so, you’ll probably want to replace the weatherstripping.

Day 27 – Replace burnt out lightbulbs

            We tend to put this task off, so it’s good it’s on the calendar!   

Day 28 – Powerwash house

            If you don’t have a powerwasher, you can hire this out or use some Dawn, a scrubber and your hose.

Day 29 – Clean grill

            Every grill will be different, but the one thing they have in common is that you NEED to season your grill.  Once you’ve cleaned it, wipe some vegetable oil on the surface or the grates.

Day 30 – Inspect around house

            Walk around inside and outside your home.  Check for water leaks, cracks, insects, etc.  The best offense is a good defense!

Day 31 – Home inventory video

            It’s a great idea to inventory the items in your home.  Purchase dates, serial numbers, etc.  But at the very least, take a video walking around your home.  Go through each room filming as much as you can.

There was a lot of information there.  But take it one day at a time and we’ll maintain that home in no time!

June’s calendar will be back to organizing.  February was decluttering and organizing, March was a combination of organizing and cleaning, April was spring cleaning, May’s is maintenance so come June our homes will be in need of some organizing.  It shouldn’t be as overwhelming as February because we’ve stayed on top of it, but it’s inevitable.  There will be always be a need for organizing.    

You can download the May calendar in the link below.  Let’s maintain our homes together, post your progress on social media and tag me!