March Madness!

March 21st is the spring equinox, bringing a sense of positivity, promise, and potential.

Many people start cleaning out their homes as part of an annual ritual called spring cleaning. They also perform many annual checks, such as replacing smoke detector batteries, cleaning gutters, clearing debris from the yard, changing furnace filters, draining and refilling water heaters, and more. Deep cleaning all appliances and throwing out old, past-dated food is also something people do right about now. All this makes the world feel new and shiny bright.

Refresh Your Home

Donating clothing this time of year is great. The rule of thumb is that if you haven’t worn it in the past year, then think about donating it to someone who could use it.

Now is a good time to clean out bird feeders and get new toys for your pets. Getting them new bedding is really nice, too. While you are at it, donating old towels, food, toys, and bedding to animal shelters like Berkeley Humane and Oakland Animal Services, and animal rescue organizations is really appreciated.

Tidy the Garden

Pruning dormant shrubs and trees, fertilizing, and amending topsoil is great this time of year, too. Divide crowded plants, and make a plan for flowering beds and stick to it- this will bring joy all flowering season long.

Tune Up Your Car

Check your car’s tire pressure, top off all fluids, replace wiper blades if needed, check your alignment and suspension, your air conditioning and filters, and, if it has been a while, have your brakes and brake fluid checked for wear. Thoroughly clean the interior of your car. It will make you feel cleansed, too!

Spring & Real Estate

This is a great time in real estate. The promise of sunny skies and decent interest rates means buyers will be out looking for their new home, and this is a great time to consider selling. Spring is generally the best time to put a house on the market, although there are great sales all year long. Think about what you want for your beautiful, precious life - what would make you happy? Staying where you are? Downsizing? Leaving the state? Building an ADU since the new regulations make it ever easier to do so? Figure out what you really want, and then make a plan!

A Little Spring Poetry

Here is a poem by an Unknown Poet:

Frogs croak
Rains soak,
Chicks peep
Crickets leap
Bees hum
Robins come
Birds sing
It’s Spring!