Believe it or not, but winter is slowly, yet surely, on its way out. Springtime is just a few months away, and while you might be more than ready for a change in seasons, is your apartment? As the temperatures begin to rise, you should take an opportunity to prepare your home for the spring. No idea where to start? Try these things first.

Declutter for a Better Peace of Mind

Before you get into the nitty-gritty of a pre-spring cleaning session, it’s worth going through your home and decluttering as much as possible. Have you accumulated a bunch of junk during winter? Get rid of it! Extra odds and ends taking up space in the back of the closet? Get rid of it! Unused and unloved pieces of furniture taking up space in your living areas? You know what to do. Paring down your possessions won’t just make your spring cleaning a little easier, but it’ll also make your life a little less weighed down.

Update Your Wardrobe

With all the focus you’re putting on the orderliness of your home, you might forget about something equally important: yourself! Or, at least, your sense of style. If you’ve got a bunch of warm-weather clothing packed away in the back of your closet, now is the time to dig out all those shorts and T-shirts. Further, say goodbye to all your heavy clothing, coats, and boots – hopefully, you won’t be needing them for some time.

Give It a Deep Clean

It might be a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it. Your big spring clean might take hours, it might take days, but it’s worth getting it over with before you want to spend all your free time outdoors. Try to get as much done as possible – sweep, mop, vacuum, dust, and polish your way to a cleaner, brighter home. Don’t forget to hit the lesser-known spots, like your kitchen appliances and all the nooks and crannies of the bathroom.

Check the Little Details

While a deep spring clean will see you hitting all the areas of your home, there are a few small details that you might forget about. For instance, if you changed the direction of your ceiling fans before winter, change them back so that they spin counterclockwise, blowing cool air down. Also, it’s not a bad idea to prop open the windows for a day–preferably a warm one–to help circulate in some fresh air. You’ll be surprised how such a small thing can make a big difference in freshening up the place.

Make Your Home Reflect the Season

Once you’ve made room and tidied up your apartment, you’ll be ready for something a little more fun: making it look like it’s ready for spring! The obvious to-dos here are to change your decor to be as spring-friendly as possible; lighter colors will create the fresh and light atmosphere that perfectly represents springtime. Now is also a good time to consider getting houseplants to bring some life to the living areas.

This might not be all your apartment needs to be ready for spring, but it’ll definitely give you a good head start. Follow these tips, and you’ll be extra ready to head into spring lighter, refreshed, and ready to take on one of the year’s best seasons!