Week 8: February 19, 2023
I hope everyone had a great President’s Day weekend! And if you are in North Texas, I hope this phenomenal weather made your Mardi Gras parade celebrations worth fighting the traffic. Now the days are getting longer and the weather is improving. Spring is about to start but first we need to finish the last full week of February. Warmer weather means more pests, lawn/garden care, and preventative maintenance. Summer in Texas can sometimes start at the end of February, and this week’s 89 degree highs are on track for warm-weather pests to emerge. This week is the first of pest maintenance for the year, but you can ignore this step if your live in a colder region.
Copy and paste each bulleted item into your calendar. Set the recurring task based on the time frame in parentheses (monthly, weekly, etc). The week long schedule is a template to get your started. Set each of the home maintenance tasks on a day that works best for you, or ignore the ones that don't apply to your home.
Sunday:
Clear expired food and to-go containers out of the fridge & check your fridge’s temperature, airflow, and inside water filter. (weekly)
Declutter one shelf or drawer. (monthly)
Check your medicine cabinet for any expired medications to throw away (seasonal) Prepare for allergy season by stocking up on your frequently used medications.
Monday:
Take a President’s Day break! *
o You can choose a day that is right for you, but a rest day from home maintenance is important to keep from burning out. I choose Mondays because let’s face it, work takes a big chunk out of all of us on Monday.
Since many places have President’s day sales, check on your wishlists to see if anything you wanted to buy is on sale.
Tuesday:
Check trees and other shrubs for any winter storm damage. This is the last month to trim trees before spring.
If your home has had recent severe weather, continue checking for ice or water damage outside and inside your home (ongoing)
Wednesday:
If you are considering re-painting a room or making an accent wall this month, continue last week’s project by testing out your paint samples. It’s a good idea to live with the samples for a while in your home to really decide if you love them.
Check all weather stripping around doors and windows. Replace them now before bugs and hot air get inside (twice a year)
Thursday:
Check all your toilets for signs of leakage (monthly):
Check the rubber gasket inside the tank
Flush the toilet and check for leaks at the hose connector
Make sure the water does not continuously run after a flush
Next week is Week 4 of Brush & Bulky item collection in Dallas.
Brush and bulky items may be set out beginning on the Thursday prior to your collection week through Sunday prior to your collection week. Please see the My Schedule app here to find your week and find what items are accepted.
Friday:
Prepare for mowing season by checking your mower or setting up a mowing service.
While you’re out in your shed or garage checking on that mower, check for hibernating wasps or other pests. (seasonal)
Empty all trash bins and take the trash bins outside* (weekly)
*Assign this to the day trash is collected at your home.
Saturday:
Start pest management chores like refreshing bait traps for ants or roaches. (seasonal)
Spray the perimeter of your home with pest control spray. (quarterly)
Check your home for signs of emerging termites or carpenter ants (seasonal)
And that’s it! This week wasn’t so painful, was it? Happy Week 8, and happy home health!
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