It feels like us New Yorkers wait in desperation every year for Spring to arrive. After getting pummeled with snow this winter, we deserve a kick-ass Spring season. Here are a couple things you can do to get excited about the impending warm weather we so very much deserve.
Planting season
Whether you’re raising veggies for the whole family or just like a few flowers in the front yard, spring is the season for getting your hands dirty.
In a Sears Home article, Ed Laflamme, a Landscape Industry Certified Manager in Connecticut and author of Green Side Up: Straight Talk on Growing and Operating a Profitable Landscaping Business, recommends 6 easy tricks, including cleaning up your yard and applying fertilizer. “The first step to prepping your lawn for spring is to clean up the leaves, twigs and other debris that have gathered over the winter.” He also recommends you mow early and often. “If you let the grass grow too high and then cut it, it stunts the roots so they can’t reproduce properly,” he warns. Instead, mow every five days for the first six weeks of spring, depending on the weather, to ensure a thicker, fuller lawn. For more of his tips, click here.
Spring Cleaning
There’s no better time to discard the unnecessary items that have piled up in your attic, basement, closets and corners. Take a page from Marie Kundo and get rid of items that have outstayed their welcome. Here are a couple tips to help you get started.
- Make a list of all your Spring projects. We find it’s easier to mark a date in your planner and tackle one project at a time. It makes you feel more accomplished when you can check that project off your list and still have some time for yourself.
- When getting ready to unload all those clothes, make sure to keep a pile for donations. There are a lot of local spots to donate clothes and misc. goods in the area, like the Beacon Wee Play Project Annual Ree-Play Sale, and the Salvation Army.
- Switching to all-natural cleaning products can help keep you and your family healthy. Now that spring is here, nobody wants to be confined to bed nursing a cold or cough! Here’s a recipe for an all-purpose cleaner from Young Living. We love this cleaner and use it on every surface in our home.
- Mix 1 capful Thieves household cleaner with 4-5 cups water, and add 2-3 drops of lemon essential oil for a fresh scent.
Making the most of those extra hours of daylight
The longer days of the spring mean more time for hikes, visits to local parks, nature walks and playing in the backyard with family. Not to mention it’s finally time to dine al fresco. Fresh, local produce is readily available. Here’s a spring produce guide to help jumpstart your seasonal cooking plans.
Don’t forget to stay on track with your fitness goals. Add some outdoor activities to your routine, and get to class whenever your schedule permits!