12 Things to Do When Daylight Savings Time Begins
Updated: Mar. 10, 2021Spring Daylight Savings Time is a great reminder that the seasons are just about to change. Here's everything you should take care of when the time change hits (besides re-setting your clocks).
Do a Kitchen Clean Up
Let the spring cleaning commence! Use the time change to kick-start your cleaning after a winter’s worth of cooking and hanging out in the kitchen. Toss out any expired items from your refrigerator and pantry, reorganize your cabinets, deep clean your oven… the possibilities are endless.
Swap Out Winter Gear for Spring Gear
Whether it’s your closet, bedding, or even the decor in your home, celebrate the upcoming change of season by preparing your home for the warmer months ahead. Brighten up your space by swapping out dark and heavy throws on the couch for lighter ones. Swap your bedding from flannel sheets to cotton. Put away the winter boots by the door and take out the slip-ons. Finally, tackle your closet! Put away chunky sweaters and long underwear and take out the lighter, spring-worthy garb.
Reverse Your Fans
Whether you have a remote control, wall control or you need a step ladder to manually switch the fan, be sure your ceiling fans spin counter-clockwise after the switch to Daylight Savings Time. It will keep things cooler!
Change the Batteries in Your Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Safety experts recommend changing the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors twice a year. It’s likely that the batteries you switch out aren’t ready to be tossed yet, however! While they’re not fully charged, you can still use them in things like your children’s toys and various electronic devices.
Do Some Patio Prep
Soon enough, you’ll be springing outside to enjoy the warmer weather on your patio. Daylight Savings Time is the perfect opportunity to clean the furniture, change the lightbulbs, sweep and even add some container plants to spruce things up after a long, cold, and dreary winter.
Clean Drapes and Curtains
Take a vacuum to your drapes and curtains to suck out settled dust from winter. If the curtains are washable, that’s even better. With the warmer months coming, you can also use Daylight Savings Time to swap out heavier window coverings with lighter ones.
Change Your Filters
When Daylight Savings starts, be sure to check and change the filters on your furnace, air conditioner(s), vacuum cleaner, dishwasher and humidifier.
Open Your Crawl Space Vents
While you want your crawl space vents closed in the winter to reduce the chance that any pipes in there might freeze, you should open them back up in spring to allow outside air to circulate and prevent the moisture buildup that causes mildew and rot.
Freshen Up Your Garden
Pretty soon it will be time to plant your favorite flowers! In preparation, freshen up your garden to get it healthy and ready for new plantings. You should pull weeds, prune dead branches and loosen up the soil.
Clean Out the Dryer Filter and Duct
At the start of Daylight Savings Time, clean out your dryer filter and vent duct. Lint buildup is a major cause of household fires, so be sure (along with frequent lint trap cleaning), to clean the vent duct thoroughly.
Clean the Grill
Prepare for spring barbecuing by giving your grill some attention. Use dish soap to cut through leftover dirt and grease that’s been sitting on your grill all winter long. While you’re at it, why not give that grill a spring tune-up?
Prepare Your Car for Spring and Summer Trips
It’s also time to tune-up your car. Make sure to have your oil changed and all your fluid levels checked. Get your vehicle’s brakes inspected, have your tires rotated, if necessary, clean or replace your windshield wiper blades and inspect headlights and taillights. These 9 DIY car care tips are essential for spring.