Ah, spring. That magical time when the mud finally starts drying up, the chickens remember how to lay eggs, and the sun feels a little more like an old friend than a distant memory. Around here, spring doesn’t just mean opening the windows and scrubbing behind the fridge (though, let’s be honest, it probably needs it). On the homestead, spring cleaning takes on a life of its own, and it’s not all about bleach and baseboards.
Let me paint you a picture. The snow has melted, revealing everything it so generously “stored” for us over the winter: broken tools, forgotten buckets, and maybe a pair of gloves I swore I lost back in December. The barn smells like it’s been holding its breath too long, the coop’s looking a little rough, and my seed trays are giving me side-eye because I haven’t washed them yet.
This is all on the to do list and suddenly the mud dried and the grass grew 14” in a single rainy week. Now we really need to get in gear.
First Stop: The Barn (aka the Winter Dumping Ground)
Tell me I’m not the only one who uses the barn like a catch-all over the winter. Feed bags, mystery hardware, that one rogue Christmas wreath… yep, it all ends up here. Spring is the time to reclaim the space. I haul everything out, sort it into “keep,” “fix,” “burn,” and “what even is this?” piles, and then scrub the place down like a woman on a mission. Because I am on a mission: no more tripping over that broken rake this season.
Bonus tip: If it smells a little off in there (and let’s face it, it does), sprinkle some barn lime on the floors once it’s swept clean. Works like a charm.
Coop Spa Day
Next up: the chicken coop. It’s not glamorous, but my girls deserve a fresh start, too. I scrape, shovel, hose, and let it air out in the sunshine. New straw bedding goes in, nesting boxes get fluffed, and I check all the wire for holes the local raccoon might be eyeing up.
Don’t forget to give the feeders and waterers a good scrub. I like to use a vinegar rinse—nothing fancy, just effective.
Tool Time (Not Just a ’90s Sitcom)
You know what feels amazing? Oiling and sharpening all the garden tools before you actually need them. I gather up the hoes, pruners, loppers, and shovels and give them a little TLC. A wire brush, a rag with mineral oil, and a sharpening stone go a long way toward making spring chores less like a battle with rust and more like a dance with the earth.
Plus, it’s just satisfying. Like sharpening your sword before heading into the growing season battlefield.
Garden Beds and Gutters
I can’t be the only one who gets personally offended by the state of the garden beds come March. All those sticks, leaves, and weeds trying to stake a claim where my tomatoes will soon reign supreme? Not today. I rake, hoe, mulch, and give the soil a little pep talk.
Also, gutters. I know, not fun. But you only forget to clean them once before you end up with a waterfall over your porch every time it rains.
Pantry Purge and Freezer Tetris
Inside the house, the pantry and freezer get a once-over. Anything past its prime gets composted or tossed, and I take stock of what we actually used over winter. Too many jars of pickled beets? Not enough applesauce? Spring cleaning isn’t just about tidying—it’s about learning what worked and what needs adjusting for the seasons ahead.
Plus, clearing out freezer space means I can now start dreaming about berry season. And pie. Mostly pie.
Final Thoughts from the Front Porch
Spring cleaning the homestead way isn’t about perfection—it’s about resetting. Reclaiming our space, our tools, our mindset. It’s about making room for growth, both literal and figurative. And let’s be honest: nothing beats that feeling of sitting on the porch after a day of cleaning, sipping something cold, and looking out over a place that feels just a little more ready for the wild ride of spring.
So whether you’ve got ten acres or just a backyard garden and a dream, here’s to the season of fresh starts, clean coops, and sharpened shears.
Happy (homestead-style) spring cleaning, friends!
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Show me you before and after photos – it will be a hoot (for me) and I’ll absolutely cheer you on!
👌👌