Today we start our month-long look at spring cleaning.

I know, I know. You don’t even want to THINK about spring cleaning.

I’m not going to argue that you need to clean your house from top to bottom (though it’s never a bad idea). But even if you are short on time, energy, and patience, here are some basic things you really need to do:

• The first nice day that you are home, open all the windows you can and let fresh air flow through the house. It’s amazing how much difference that can make with so little effort.
• Try to declutter the main living areas, especially areas where you are most likely to have guests.
• Tidy up the yard and prepare the grill and patio for outside time.
• Put away winter clothes and gear, taking the time to donate what you don’t plan to use any more.
• Consider refreshing all the bed clothes, using lighter quilts and flipping or turning mattresses as appropriate.
• Stock your fridge with spring goodies like fresh greens, fruit, pitchers of ice water with citrus, and herbal iced teas.

If you’re opening to doing a bit more in terms of spring cleaning, over the next few weeks, the blog entries will offer much more detail.