With the warmer weather announcing the change of season, you will finally be getting that much-needed fresh air, and your buildings will get their spring makeover.
Here are a few spring cleaning tips to help you get your building’s exterior and interior ready for sunny days without busting the budget.
Clear your desk
Before tackling your buildings, start small, by decluttering your own workspace. Once your taxes are done, it’s the perfect time to go through your big filing cabinet. You definitely do not want to throw away any important documents, but rid yourself of all those meaningless receipts and old, expired contracts. Remember to shred anything that contains sensitive information.
If you end up with a lot of shredded paper, there are tons of ways to recycle and reuse it. You could donate the shreds to your local animal shelter, where the paper is used as bedding for the rescues. They can also be turned into mulch for the flowers and vegetables in your community gardens. You can even use them as packaging filling, instead of buying bubble wrap or styrofoam peanuts.
Get your tenants to help out
By getting your tenants involved, you can spruce up the building and its units much faster. Suggest a list of tasks your tenants can do in their apartment, such as checking appliances, verifying air conditioning units, and cleaning the windows. Let them know what you will be tidying up the common areas, and encourage them to reach out to management with any concern or issue regarding their unit.
Encouraging your tenants to clean up their units in time for spring serves a double purpose : with moving season approaching, it is a great way to make sure your units are nice and tidy in the busiest time for visits (even the virtual ones!).
Assess damages and repairs
Once tenants have informed you of the repairs and damages to be checked, take them on one at a time. Deal with the ones that have the highest priority, such as leaky pipes or damaged ceilings, then move on to minor issues like chipped paint or flooring repairs.
At this stage, your property management software is your best friend. In Building Stack, you can automatically assign maintenance requests to the right staff member, and tenants can grant you access to their units to facilitate the repairs.
Do a deep cleaning of your building
When you are starting to get the cleaning spirit, it is officially time to get your hands dirty! Our advice is to work from the inside out. Start by putting away your seasonal items, such as the winter carpets and shovels. Oh, and do your future self a favour: have the carpets cleaned before storing them, so they are ready to use at the first sight of snow next winter.
The smallest tasks are also the ones we forget the most. Replace burnt light bulbs, verify the expiration date on fire extinguishers, and check the batteries in your fire alarms. Afterwards, working on your building’s exterior appearance is a nice finishing touch that will attract future tenants or buyers. A simple pressure wash to remove grime will make a huge difference, and planting some flowers is sure to brighten your tenants’ day.
The last task of your spring cleaning is also the most rewarding one: take your barbecue out of storage and get ready to enjoy the warm season!
If your properties’ spring cleaning is giving you a headache, you might need a better way to manage your work orders and maintenance staff. Find out what Building Stack can do for you by booking a demo today!