Investing some time in spring cleaning will help your dream home withstand another year of wear and tear.  While some experts recommend cleaning room by room, you’ll save time by tackling one task in all rooms and then moving on to the next task.

Here is part one of spring cleaning your new construction home.

1. Clean ceiling fixtures and mouldings first.  This is the perfect opportunity to put all of those interesting attachments for your vacuum cleaner to work.  Use the soft nozzle attachment to remove dust from ceiling fans, chandeliers, wall sconces, crown mouldings, baseboards and air-conditioner vents.  Then use a damp cloth to remove any remaining dust, especially on the light bulbs.  If your dream home has tall ceilings or skylights, consider purchasing a stepladder and tools that help extend your reach.

Ready to dive into your dream home’s landscape design?  Here are four first steps worth taking.

1. Connect with a professional landscaper. You may think that you can tackle your dream home’s landscape design on your own, however it is best to consult with a professional.  Now that spring has sprung, landscapers are already extremely busy.  It may be challenging just to schedule an appointment, but do so as soon as you can.  One of the biggest mistakes that people make when building a new home is waiting until it is completely finished to contact a landscape designer.  If your home is still under construction, you should still meet with a professional landscaper to get the project going.  This is especially true for large projects such as pergolas and outdoor fireplaces.  In fact, the typical timeline on such large projects can be six to eight months from concept design through actual installation.

Last week, we shared part one of this two-part series on spring home maintenance in order to protect your dream home.  Here are the last steps of exterior maintenance. Your New Echelon Home

1. Check irrigation and sprinkler systems. This step is necessary to save both your landscaping and water.  First, run a system sprinkler check by turning on each zone manually.  Next, inspect every sprinkler head to make sure that none of the heads are damaged or broken.  While the sprinklers are on, determine if any are spraying the house or windows.  If so, readjust the positioning of these heads to avoid causing any moisture issues.  You may notice some heads spraying into the driveway, sidewalk, street or even your porch.  Readjust those heads as well to avoid wasting water.  If you are short on time, do not hesitate to contact a sprinkler system professional to perform these tasks on your behalf.  The cost is worth the savings you’ll earn on your reduced water bill.  Bonus—minimizing water waste helps to protect this very valuable natural resource.