The 2023 spring cleaning checklist

There are generally two schools of thought on the best way to tackle your spring cleaning checklist: Room by room or task by task. Both have their pros and cons, but we’d argue that the best approach is actually a hybrid of the two, broken out into three phases (it’s less technical than it sounds). 

• Phase 1: Declutter
  • Room by room, throw out or donate what you don’t want
  • Store winter items out of the way
• Phase 2: Clean
  • Wash bedding
  • Dust and wipe down surfaces
  • Clean baseboards
  • Sweep, mop, and vacuum
• Phase 3: Organize
  • Choose a method that you can maintain all year
  • Utilize vertical space
  • Replace any essentials you threw out in Phase 1

Before you dive in, you’ll want to set aside some moving boxes for items you’re donating, items you’re throwing out, and items that need to be stored for the season. 

Spring Cleaning Phase 1: Declutter

For Phase 1, we recommend the room-by-room approach.

• Bedroom
  • Remove winter clothes from drawers and hangers and place in boxes for storage
  • Place any items in good condition that you no longer want in your donation box
  • Throw out any clothing or decor items you no longer want that can’t be donated
  • Throw out sheets if you’ve been using them for over three years
• Bathroom
  • Throw out expired toiletries and beauty products
  • Throw out (or give to a friend) products you tried but didn’t like that can still be used
  • If your towels and washcloths have seen better days, consider throwing them out
• Kitchen
  • If you have any utensils, towels, or cookware that need to be replaced, throw them out 
  • Donate any unused items (like that fancy blender from your wedding registry that’s never seen the light of day)
  • Throw out expired food from your pantry, fridge, and freezer
  • Donate non-perishable food items if you know you won’t be using them

Not sure what needs to be thrown out? Use the handy chart below as a guide. Just remember, the exact expiration dates will depend on the quality of the item and how much you use it.

Pro Tip: If you’re a bit of a clothes collector, it can be hard narrowing down what to keep and what to get rid of. A good way to keep yourself in check is to buy a set number of clothes hangers and don’t buy more when you run out. Instead, solve the problem by getting rid of clothing items you have, or holding off on purchasing new ones. Hello, closet equilibrium.

Spring Cleaning Phase 2: Clean

In Phase 2, we recommend tackling your checklist by task (dust, sweep, mop, etc.) rather than doing every task in one room, then repeating the list for the next room. When it comes to cleaning, start from the top (literally) and work your way down to avoid dust and grime from higher areas getting swept down onto a surface you already cleaned.

• Strip beds and start the laundry cycle 
• If you have ceiling fans, dust or wipe down the blades
• Clean windows, mirrors, and any other glass surfaces
• Dust and wipe down furniture, shelves, cabinets (inside and out), and counters
• Especially if you have little ones of the fur or human variety, vacuum your furniture
• Wipe down baseboards and molding
• Sweep, mop, and vacuum all rooms
• Place clean bedding back on beds
• Take a nap on that clean bedding, you earned it

Pro Tip: If you want to get really particular about your approach, take out your trash and recycling before you clean the floors. This way, any drips from the garbage bag or dirt you track back in won’t undo all your hard work.

Spring Cleaning Phase 3: Organize

Now that you’ve cleared up space and cleaned your home, it’s time to organize what you have left. This is also the time to replace any essentials that needed to be thrown out, like new cookware or towels. In Phase 3, we recommend going room by room. How you organize is up to you, but here are a few tips for each area.

• Bedroom
  • Utilize vertical space in your closet
  • Get a bedside table with built-in storage
  • Store out-of-season items under your bed
• Bathroom
  • Keep a stylish bin or tray on the bathroom counter to store items you use every day
  • Install a shower caddy
  • Add shelves over the toilet
• Kitchen
  • Add riser shelves inside cabinets
  • Stack towels vertically (like books)
  • Use a caddy for sponges, dish soap, and other sink-side cleaning products

There are a lot of elaborate and aesthetically pleasing organization methods out there, but remember to choose one that you can realistically maintain in the long term. Spring cleaning is all about setting you up for a better homeownership experience for the rest of the year.

Any other spring cleaning tips?

With your spring cleaning checklist squared away, you’ve got all the essentials you need to handle it like a pro. But because we like you, we have a few more spring cleaning tips for you to take or leave before you get started.

• Don’t try to do it all in one day
• Make a physical list that you can check items off of to see your progress
• Gather all the necessary cleaning supplies before you start so you don’t lose momentum making a run to the store
• Recycle as much as possible

Ok, NOW you’re ready to go. Oh, and if your home needs more than a thorough cleaning to feel refreshed, renovation loans could help you finance upgrades like new floors, fresh paint, and new appliances. The more you know.

With the right spring cleaning tips, you’ll be ready to make your house feel like home for the season in no time.

The post The Essential 2023 Spring Cleaning Checklist appeared first on Cardinal Financial.

How to prepare (and maintain) your garden for spring in 7 steps.

1. Clean and organize your tools
2. Clear out weeds (and anything else you don’t want in your garden)
3. Till and add compost to your soil two weeks before planting
4. Buy local seeds and/or plants
5. Plant after or around your area’s last frost
6. Add mulch (but not too much)
7. Watch your hard work pay off

1. Clean and organize your tools.

Before you dive into planting, you’ll need to clean your garden tools.* Start by washing off any excess soil with a hose. Next, let your tools soak in a bucket of hot, soapy water for about 20 minutes. When they’re done soaking, give them a rinse with cold water and dry them off. If your tools are rusty, you can also use vegetable oil and steel wool to remove it. Before storing your tools until you’re ready to plant, don’t forget to disinfect them. You can do this by soaking them in a bucket of water and bleach (two cups of bleach per one gallon of water) for 10 minutes. When the 10 minutes are up, rinse your tools well, dry them off, and store them until you’re ready to use. How’s that for spring cleaning?

*Not sure what tools you need? These are a great place to start:

• Gloves
• Pruners
• Hand trowel
• Hose with an adjustable nozzle
• Garden fork

2. Clear out weeds.

To prepare your garden for spring, you’ll need to clear out weeds, debris, and anything else you don’t want cluttering up your beds (consider this your excuse to say goodbye to that garden gnome your mother-in-law gave you for Christmas). Oh, and don’t forget to wear gloves!

3. Till and add compost to soil.

During the winter, soil tends to dry out and harden. Before planting, you’ll want to till the soil with a hoe, garden fork, or your hands if you’ve got some strong feelings to work out. Next, it’s time to add compost if you have it. Not only does composting reduce waste, it’s also an easy way to increase nutrients in your soil—especially if you’re replanting in an existing garden. Refer to this handy chart to check what you can and can’t compost.

4. Buy local seeds and/or plants.

Buying local helps support your community, and it gives your plants a better chance of thriving. Locally sourced seeds or native plants are naturally better suited to your area’s environment, meaning they’re more likely to reach their full potential as opposed to plants that haven’t adapted for local conditions.

Pro tip: If you’re not sure where to start, find out what plants are native to your area here. Your local farmers market is also an excellent resource.

5. Plant after or around your area’s last frost.

The right time to plant depends on what you’re planting, but in general you’ll want to start after your area’s last frost or a couple of weeks before. It’s never too late to start planting, though. You may just find yourself prepping your garden for summer rather than spring.

6. Add mulch.

After planting, add a layer of mulch to your garden. This will help lock in moisture, feed the soil, and discourage those weeds you worked so hard to get out from growing back. Mulch can also prevent erosion, protect your soil from extreme temperature changes, and keep your plants cleaner. Just don’t put more than two or three inches of mulch over your soil, as this will prevent enough oxygen from reaching the roots.

7. Watch it grow.

Depending on how you look at it, this is either the easiest part or the hardest part. After all that prep, it’s time to sit back and watch your plants grow (don’t forget to water regularly, though). With all that green, your house will be feeling like a home in no time.

Why should I learn how to prepare my garden for spring?

If preparing a garden for spring is starting to sound like a lot of work, you may be wondering if it’s worth it. We certainly think so! Aside from the environmental and emotional benefits that a garden provides, home upgrades like this also boost your equity. When it’s time to refi your mortgage, you can leverage that home equity for better rates or cash out.* You could even use that cash to fund your garden expenses. Win-win.

*Using your home equity to pay off debts or make other purchases does not eliminate the debt or the cost of the purchases, but rather increases the loan amount of your mortgage to be paid according to your new mortgage terms.

A little garden prep goes a long way. Follow our guide to make the most of your outdoor space this spring (and boost your home equity while you’re at it).

The post How to Prepare Your Garden for Spring in 7 Steps appeared first on Cardinal Financial.

Emerge from winter’s icy grasp with arms (and windows) wide open. When you feel that first warm day, who doesn’t get bit by the cleaning bug? There are so many ways you can embrace the warmth of spring in your home when you use our spring cleaning checklist!

Kitchen

Bedrooms

Bathrooms

All rooms

Entryways

Outdoor

Ready to take on Cardinal Financial’s 30-Day Cleaning Challenge? Share photos of your progress with us on social media!

The post Cardinal Financial’s 30-Day Spring Cleaning Challenge appeared first on Cardinal Financial.

It’s spring break season! As the weather slowly warms up, so might you to the possibility of opening up your home to vacationers. This time of year, homeowners around the globe will take advantage of the opportunity to rent out their homes and make some extra cash. Will you? Here are some advantages (and potential pitfalls) to renting out your home.

pro: can give you extra income

Probably one of the most common and convincing reasons why homeowners rent out their home during spring break is because of the allure of extra income. While some people might take up a part-time job to bring in a little side money, others take to renting out their home. Doing so can help offset the costs of homeownership.

If you’re renting out a couple of rooms in your primary residence, this cash from renting out your home can go toward your utility bills, taxes and insurance, or your mortgage’s principal balance. However, if you’re renting out your investment property during that week, you may not make enough from spring break alone to cover the cost of owning that property—but you could at least make a dent in what you owe.

con: your visitors might not be the greatest

So you can make extra money by renting out your home to vacationers. Sounds great! If that’s the case, why wouldn’t you do it? Many homeowners forego renting out their property during spring break because they don’t want to deal with potentially bad tenants. The truth is, some guests aren’t the greatest. They might be messy, dirty, or disrespectful to your home. They may not leave the place better than they found it (which is what you’re hoping they’ll do, right?).

Two things can help you decide to rent or not to rent out your home: one is checking with your insurance company. You may or may not be covered for damages made by your tenants. Definitely review the terms of your home insurance coverage and even call your insurance company to get further confirmation. But let’s say you’re covered—another thing that can help you decide is screening your tenants. More on that in another blog post, but basically, homeowners often say OK to renting out their home because they have the ability to screen and/or interview their visitors, which helps instill a bit of confidence in the type of stranger they’re welcoming.

pro: you might get a tax break

Homeownership has long been a major part of the American dream. For some, it may still be. And for good reason. Not only do homeowners experience the freedom of owning their own place and the financial benefits of building equity and good credit, many also receive tax breaks when tax refund season comes around. (Due to the new tax reform passed in January, the new cap on mortgage interest deduction is set to $750,000 for new mortgages only.) Pretty sweet deal if you ask us!

con: if you’re not used to being a landlord, you might not like it

Similar to having not-so-great visitors, if you’re not used to being a landlord, you might not enjoy it, even if it’s only for one week out of the year. During your visitors’ stay (if you haven’t hired a property manager) you’ll have to be on call for any problems that arise—from getting locked out to clogged toilets, there’s a whole slew of issues you may have to resolve for your visitors! For some homeowners, a lack of wanting to deal with mishaps like these is reason enough to say no to renting out their home. Will this be a determining factor for you too?

pro: there are lots of resources out there to help you

Lots of homeowners choose to rent out their property during spring break because they have the support of many tools and resources to help make it happen! Airbnb is an ever-popular site for renting out your home, but alternatives are out there if you’re willing to try something different. These sites offer great services for listing your home, including receiving inquiries and managing your relationships with your tenants during their stay.

We also recommend consulting a legal, financial, and/or real estate advisor to help you manage this new endeavor. Many homeowners solicit help from such an advisor because they have the professional experience and legal backing to properly advocate for you and help you through the process.

Are you interested in purchasing an investment property for the purpose of renting it out to make some extra income? We can help! Our industry-leading Conventional and Jumbo financing could be the loan you need to finance your next rental property. Call us today!

Did this blog post help you understand the pros and cons of renting out your home? Give us a shout-out on social media!

The post Spring Break: Should I Rent Out My Home? appeared first on Cardinal Financial.

As peak home buying and selling season takes off, homeowners across the country are preparing to put their homes up for sale. Sound like you? If so, you’ll want to get the best price possible for your home. That’s where a home appraisal can help.

What’s an appraisal?

An appraisal is an estimate of your home’s fair market value. It’s one part of a larger process that determines your home’s valuation. Depending on the loan program, an appraisal is required by a mortgage lender before they approve the loan to ensure that the loan amount is not more than the value of the property.

The appraisal is performed by an appraiser—typically a state-licensed professional and unbiased third party who is trained to give an expert opinion about property value. They take the home’s location, amenities, physical conditions, and more, into consideration when evaluating. The appraiser walks through the home and surveys the property, looking for issues that may affect the value.

Home Appraisal vs. Home Inspection

During this part of the property valuation, the appraiser also researches the recently sold comparable homes (or comps) in the area to help determine the value. The resulting appraisal report should help the home buyers who are interested in your home make an educated decision as to whether they should buy. If you want this to go in your favor, there are a few ways you can prepare for the visit from the appraiser.

Before the appraisal

1. Spruce it up

Before the appraisal, you might want to spruce up your home a little bit. Knock out the easy stuff first like touching up scuff marks and chipping paint. Then do bigger tasks like hanging new curtains and installing new faucets, doorknobs, and cabinet handles. Little updates like these can add a lot of visual appeal which will work in your favor during the appraisal. Outdated décor can negatively impact your home appraisal. But give your home a fresh, modern appearance and you’ll have a better chance at a higher appraisal.

2. Squeaky clean

Let’s face it, your home is due for a good deep cleaning—a visit from the appraiser is just a good excuse to get it done! It’ll take some elbow grease, but it’s worth it. Create a clean environment that will get you a higher appraisal and attract buyers. Wash the walls, dust the fan blades, shampoo the carpet, and shake out the rugs. Declutter the closets, the basement, and other clutter-prone spaces. Power wash your deck, driveway, and the home’s exterior walls. Need more tips for what to clean? We’ve got the perfect spring cleaning checklist for you.

3. Safety first

Your home’s safety is important to the appraiser (and the home buyer for that matter), so check and/or replace all your safety equipment. Test your smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and security system (if you have one). If you don’t own a fire extinguisher, consider buying one and placing it under the kitchen sink. Replace anything that isn’t working properly before the appraiser comes. If your home’s safety standards are up to date, there’s a good chance you’ll increase your appraisal value.

If your home’s safety standards are up to date, there’s a good chance you’ll increase your appraisal value.

4. Groom the yard

Curb appeal matters in a home appraisal! Mow the lawn a day or two before the appraisal visit. Trim any unruly trees or shrubs. Make sure all pathways leading to and around your house are clear of obstacles. Put away any stray toys, bikes, or tools, and straighten the patio furniture. Plant some fresh flowers and pull the weeds from any flower beds. And a little fresh mulch in the flower beds and around the trees adds a nice touch too!
5 Fresh Spring Home Improvement Projects

5. Update fixtures and materials

There are countless DIY home improvement tutorials out there to help you get creative with your home interior updates. Give your home the modern treatment and update your countertops, remove old wallpaper, paint the kitchen cupboards, and replace old flooring. That old 70s wallpaper and linoleum flooring? They can really bring down the value of your home, even if they’re in good condition. Opt for modern textures and materials like subway tile, butcher block countertops, and shiplap. The more appealing your home is to today’s buyer, the more favorably it’ll be appraised.

6. Look past the perimeter

What’s beyond your property line? Think about what has happened to your neighborhood since the time you bought it. Have any new parks, schools, stores, or other public amenities been built? New roads or footpaths? How about community gardens, farmers markets, or co-ops? If your appraiser isn’t familiar with the area, tell them about these features because they can add more value to your home.

7. Do your research

Did you know the value of other homes in the area can impact the value of your own? Do some research and find out the value of the other homes in your neighborhood. Look for things like the sales prices of homes recently sold in your area and any problems during their appraisals. These are questions you may want to ask your neighbors (if you feel comfortable doing so) or you can find this information online. All this does is help you prepare for what your appraisal report might turn up.

The day of the appraisal

8. Be critical

When it comes to your appraisal, it’s OK to be critical. On the day of the appraisal, walk around your home and look closely. Did you miss anything? Is anything out of place? Chances are, there’s nothing glaring that could hurt your appraisal. You’ve put in a lot of work! Just take one last look around the house and make sure it’s ready for a closeup.

9. It’s OK to brag a little

When the appraiser comes, get ready to brag. Tell them about the improvements you’ve made. These things might not be so obvious to someone who’s visiting your home for the first time. So make sure they know all the work you’ve put into it. This can really work in your favor!

Are you getting ready for a home appraisal? If you’ve got any other tips, we’d love to hear them on social media!

The post 9 Ways to Prepare for a Home Appraisal appeared first on Cardinal Financial.

As the weather warms up and the cold days become scarce, seize this opportunity to take on some home projects and make your home a more pleasant place to live.

Spend more time outside

After a long winter spent indoors, get out and get your hands dirty with some outdoor spring home improvement projects. Create an outdoor escape where you can spend warm summer nights by building conversation areas. You could make a firepit and arrange some new patio furniture around it or build an outdoor bar beneath a pergola. Adding items like new patio stones, seating areas, or an outdoor music system are all fun ways to make your backyard the summer gathering place for friends and family. Working with a tight budget? Add smaller touches like lemongrass plants, pool toys (if you have a pool), or yard games like corn hole.

Lower your energy bills

Don’t you love when spring home improvement projects can save you money? Small changes to your home can be environmentally friendly and cost effective at the same time. Things like caulking windows and weatherstripping doors will prevent energy-wasting air leaks and keep your HVAC unit from overworking. Inspect all your home’s doors, seals, and openings for drafts and thank us later when your utility bills are lower.

Feed your inner chef

Updating your kitchen is an appetizing way to improve your home. It’s been said that the kitchen is the heart of the home—and people tend to gather around food. Time to create a truly inviting space where your friends and family will love to eat, drink, and be merry.

Try installing a new backsplash, attaching new cabinet knobs and handles, and planting some indoor herbs near your kitchen window. These spring home improvement projects are relatively cheap and easy to incorporate. Or if you’re ready to take on some bigger projects around the kitchen, see how your major appliances are holding up. You may need to install a new garbage disposal or call in a professional to fix your refrigerator’s ice maker.

Increase your garage’s usability

At times, the garage can be the ultimate organizational challenge. Have you ever seen a two-car garage that was so cluttered it couldn’t even store one car? It happens all too often. Here’s a helpful hint: on your list of spring home improvement projects, add organizing the garage. First, go through your stuff, piece by piece, and separate everything into four piles: throw out, recycle, donate, and keep. Once you’re left with only the items you want to keep, then you can dust or wipe down the items, sweep and clean the garage, and reorganize the items in a way that will maximize usability. You may even want to add built-in shelves or a labeling system to ensure organization well into the future.

Boost your basement’s organization

Does your basement make you cringe? Like the garage, the basement tends to be the “dump-all” room of the home. After months of hiding miscellaneous items in the basement, take an approach similar to the garage and get to organizing! Reclaim that space and add seating or an entertainment center to turn your basement into a second family room.

Show your home some love and freshen it up with these spring home improvement projects. Looking for financing for a bigger, more expensive home renovation? See how we can help you refinance your mortgage and tap into your home’s equity.

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