Most homeowners dread spring cleaning, but it’s a necessity when you think about how many things typically get overlooked as part of everyday cleaning. You might vacuum, wash dishes, and do laundry regularly, but there are plenty of other chores that get overlooked.

You should include the following items in your spring cleaning checklist.

1. Utensil Drawers

Pull out your utensil drawers, take everything out and thoroughly clean the insides, including the back, sides, and corners. Make sure to let them dry completely before you replace all of your utensils.

2. Coffee Makers

You should not only clean out your coffee pot, but also the filter. Take your coffee maker apart once in a while to give it a good cleaning in warm water mixed with white vinegar.

3. Ceiling Fans

The blades of your ceiling fans probably have a thick layer of dust on top of them. Imagine turning them on and allowing all that dust to enter the air you breathe. It is essential that you clean your ceiling fans as a part of your spring cleaning. You can use a vacuum cleaner with an extended nozzle, a duster, or even a damp cloth to remove all the piled-up dust.

4. Window Screens

Window screens are not just designed to keep critters out, they’re also intended to trap dust and debris. After a while, window screens can become clogged with particles, which can limit their effectiveness. Additionally, dirty window screens look disgusting. For stubborn debris, you will have to remove the screens from their frames and soak them in warm, soapy water before spraying them down and replacing them.

5. Oven

There’s a good chance that your oven will collect a layer of hard-to-remove grime at the bottom or along the interior walls. Those casseroles dripping with grease or those oven-baked pizzas covered with melted cheese can leave behind a layer of caked-on grease that needs to be removed. Your job just got a whole lot easier if you have a self-cleaning oven. But if you don’t, it’s going to take a few hours for oven-cleaning products to lift all that grease. Otherwise, you’ll have to use a lot of elbow grease to scrape it off that way.

6. Under & Behind Large Appliances

Even if you regularly vacuum your floors, dust and debris can accumulate underneath your large appliances over time. Pull out the refrigerator, oven, washer, and dryer and clean the areas that have been covered by these appliances throughout the year.

While spring cleaning might not be fun, it’s a necessary task. Make sure you’ve covered everything so you can enjoy a clean home throughout the rest of the year.

Lá Fhéile Pádraig sona duit!  (Happy St. Patrick’s Day, in Gaelic)

Very soon (March 21), winter will give way to spring. To herald the season of rebirth and renewal (and longer, warmer days!), Chicago’s communities are celebrating with outside activities and lots of spring celebrations! 

Holi, for example, is a Hindu spring festival. You and your family can experience this rite of spring on Saturday, March 19, from 1pm-5pm at Navy Pier, 600 E. Grand Avenue. This free “festival of colors” welcomes spring with a vibrant-colored powder, and will feature live music, dance and educational programming in the Grand Ballroom, along with the iconic powder throwing and DJs outdoors at Navy Pier’s Beer Garden from 1pm-4pm. Ravi Baichwal, anchor at ABC7, and   Master of Ceremonies – Rahul Sharma from Funkadesi will appear.  For more information, click here.

“He’s Winnie The Pooh, Winnie The Pooh…Willy, nilly, silly old bear” At Lakeview’s Mercury Theater (the Hundred-Acre Wood), 3745 N. Southport Avenue, meet Winnie the Pooh, Christopher Robin, Piglet, Eeyore, Kanga, Roo, Rabbit, Owl, and Tigger as they come to life through life-sized puppetry in this musical stage adaptation, featuring a score from Disney’s famed Sherman Brothers, now through June 12.  A memorable show for children of all ages! For tickets and information, click here. 

It’s always spring inside the Lincoln Park Conservatory, 2391 N. Stockton Drive, as the Conservatory presents its annual Spring Flower Show, ‘Pillars of Spring.’ More than a dozen freestanding pillars are filled with colorful, fragrant geraniums, dianthus, larkspur and stock. Also, the website notes that azaleas and camellias will fill the room with “beauty and elegance and visions of spring.” Free, but tickets must be reserved in advance. Now through May 8. To reserve tickets, click here.

“What would happen,” Broadway in Chicago asks, “ if Sherlock Holmes and Monty Python had an illegitimate Broadway baby? Their answer? You’d get THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG! Hilarity ensues at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place, 175 E. Chestnut Street, from March 15-May 29.  For reservations and information, click here.

Saturday, March 19 marks St. Joseph’s Day. What better way to celebrate the Patron Saint of Italy than by celebrating the grand traditions of Italy…say, opera? The Lyric Opera, 20 N. Wacker Drive, is presenting Puccini’s Tosca, now through April 10. As the story goes, Tosca is the story of a diva who has all of Rome at her feet. A heroine who is brave and loving, extravagantly emotional, yet utterly irresistible. For tickets, click here.

For those who can’t get enough of St. Patrick’s Day…Bank of America’s Shamrock Shuffle is back! St. Patrick himself leads the first race of the spring running season at Grant Park on Sunday, March 20, starting at 8am. There are still spots left for the 8K run. Registration starts at $55 and will remain open on a first-come-first-served basis.  According to their website, ‘shufflers’ picking up their packets on Friday and Saturday are encouraged to enjoy a new experience…live music and activities around Buckingham Fountain, Columbus and Ida B. Wells Drive, after picking up their runners packets. For more information, click here.

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago

Even if you aren’t planning to sell your home anytime soon, or ever, it’s important to always have that in the back of your mind when planning home improvements. They can be costly, but if you plan well, your improvements will help pay for themselves with increased home value. 

Outside improvements are just as important. Here are a few projects that can really pump up the value:

Landscaping done well can make a 5-10percent difference compared to a home without it. Of course, professional landscaping can run into thousands of dollars, but over a few years you can DIY your backyard into a very pleasant place. A nice lawn along with well placed trees and shrubs for privacy can go a long way. Flowering perennials and other accent plants will bring it all together! 

Outdoor dining is all the rage now. Even in the Chicago area where inclement weather is the norm, everyone is setting up an outdoor oasis. If you have a decent amount of money to spend, an outdoor professional grill set up with stone surroundings will bring your backyard dining up several notches. Remember a quality grill set up will last upwards of ten years, versus a cheap one you’ll be replacing in five. This is especially true in climates like ours. 

A dining set will make that al fresco dining more pleasant. A good sturdy table with 4-6 comfortable chairs will make your guests feel welcome. An outdoor rug underneath is a nice finishing touch. There are so many new fabrics out there to choose from. It might be wise to upgrade to the higher quality outdoor fabrics, as they will hold up in harsh weather. For the same reason, it’s important to make sure that your outdoor furniture is the same excellent quality as your indoor furniture. And don’t forget to add a nice umbrella for shade!

Fire pits are extremely popular. Fire pits do double duty as a cozy gathering place for family and friends, and offering warmth when it might be just a little too chilly to be outside. There are so many types of pits to choose from and many different fuel types too. You can choose wood burning or propane. Many put out as many as 50,000 BTUs! Of course, prices vary widely but a decent unit can be had for less than $200.00. Most are also moveable so you can set up wherever you like. 

Then, we can’t forget the element that will set off our entire landscape: lighting. There are so many types of lighting, from string lights to path illumination to lanterns to tiki torches. They all show off your architectural design in addition to creating an inviting space and providing safety at night. 

So how will you adorn your outdoor space? Think of it as an extension of your indoor living space. Use excellent quality materials and workmanship. It will reward you with years of use and will help with value at selling time. 

Kathleen Weaver-Zech and Dean’s Team Chicago

After two years of canceled events, St. Patrick’s Day is officially back in Chicago with some of the city’s most beloved, but not forgotten, St. Paddy’s traditions!  It’s time to Go Green Chicago!

The centerpieces of the city’s St. Patrick’s Day weekend celebrations return this Saturday with the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade and River Dyeing.  The Chicago River dyeing has been a tradition since 1962.  Representatives of the Journeymen Plumbers Local Union 130 pour dye into the Chicago River turning it a bright shade of green. This year’s dyeing will begin at 10 a.m. and takes place between Columbus Drive and State Street, so head to the Michigan Avenue bridge or grab a spot along the Riverwalk for the best views!

Afterwards, the city’s big St. Patrick’s Day Parade moves to Grant Park where you’ll see bagpipes, drum corps, Irish dancers and politicians at this festive procession celebrating its 67^th year! Kick-off time is 12:15 p.m. at Balbo and Columbus Drives continuing north on Columbus Drive to Monroe Street with a viewing stand in front of Buckingham Fountain.

As you may or may not know, most of the St. Patrick’s events are for those 21+; however, families can celebrate too at the St. Patrick’s Day Family Fun Bash at WhirlyBall (1825 W. Webster Ave.) in the Lincoln Park neighborhood this Saturday from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.  This bash features unlimited WhirlyBall, bowling, laser tag, and pop-up games!  Plus, the Pivot Room will be providing a lunch buffet as well!!

The Wrigleyville neighborhood is at it again with not one bar crawl but two for this weekend’s St. Patrick celebrations.  Check them out –

The Chicago Shamrock Crawl takes place this Saturday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. for Chicago’s biggest St. Pat’s party with 20+ bars participating.  A ticket gets you admission, a free crawl t-shirt, breakfast, a gift card to use on the crawl and more!  It’s time to celebrate the right way by taking over the Wrigleyville neighborhood at this one-of-a-kind event!!

The Wrigleyville Afternoon St. Patrick’s Day Bar Crawl takes place this Saturday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. for those who prefer to sleep in on their day off.  Tickets include admission, three free gift cards to use on the crawl, giveaways, and more at Wrigleyville’s best bars for some afternoon shenanigans!

Don your best green attire and get ready to shake your shamrocks aboard the St. Patrick’s Day Clover Cruise this Saturday from 1 p.m. – 3 p.m. (mornings sold out) at the Chicago’s First Lady Cruises Dock (112 E. Wacker Dr.) in The Loop.  This experience includes a 2-hour river cruise, a live bagpipe performance, specialty Irish-themed cocktails and beer, a corned beef sandwich box from the Corned Beef Factory, a fun photo station with themed props, and festive décor to get you in the St. Patrick’s Day spirit!  So, join your favorite leprechauns and raise a glass to the Irish – Sláinte!

Keep the festivities going later in the day at some of the Best Irish Pubs in Chicago!  However, be sure to save some energy for Sunday’s parades both kicking-off at 12 p.m.: the South Side Irish Parade taking place on Western Avenue from 103^rd Street to 115^th Street in the Beverly neighborhood, and the Northwest Side Irish Parade beginning in front of the William J. Onahan School (6634 W. Raven St.) and going south on Neola Avenue, north on Northwest Highway to Harlem Avenue in the Norwood Park neighborhood!

Sue Moss and Dean’s Team Chicago

After two years away, Chicago’s St. Patrick’s Day Weekend celebrations are back in full swing! 

What better way to celebrate than with a full Irish breakfast, fish ‘n chips, or corned beef and cabbage at one of the many Irish restaurants around town? Already one of the largest celebrations in the world, St. Patrick’s Day 2022 festivities begin with dyeing the Chicago River at 9am, followed by the Parade at noon on Saturday, March 12, on Columbus Drive between Balbo and Monroe. 

Three blocks from the Chicago River, The Gage Restaurant, at 24 S. Michigan Avenue, offers a full scale Irish menu, complete with a Corned Beef Sandwich with Guinness-soaked swiss cheese, pickled cabbage slaw, and remoulade. House-Made Corned Beef is served with braised cabbage, new potato, and horseradish crème fraîche. Not Your Grandma’s Colcannon pairs Guinness-braised beef, truffled potato, and cabbage. They open at 9am. On Thursday, March 17, they open at 11am. For information and reservations, click here.

In River North, Fadó Irish Pub, 100 W. Grand Avenue, is preparing menu specialties for a 21+ crowd, such as their Irish Breakfast with two eggs, Irish sausages, rashers, black and white pudding, mushrooms, tomatoes, and sourdough toast On Friday, March 11, they’re offering a buy one, get one 1/2 Off Fish & Chips all day long. Other menu specialties include the Fadó Reuben with corned beef, coleslaw, Swiss, and Marie Rose sauce on marbled rye and Shepherd’s Pie, with ground beef and vegetables in a rich sauce topped with colcannon, served with side salad. Fadó’s doors will open at 8:30am, and with a full lineup of entertainment, there’s no cover charge until 1pm. For more information, click here.

Cited as one of the best Irish Pubs in the world, Avondale’s Chief O’Neill’s, 3471 N. Elston Avenue, plans a weekend-long festival of epic proportions. They’re serving up a feast of Corned Beef and Cabbage, Rueben Corned Beef Sandwiches, Shepherd’s Pie, Fish & Chips, Bangers and Mash, and so much more, served in an atmosphere that “transports you to Ireland,” according to WTTW’s ‘Check, Please!’ Stop in for some great music and a delicious award-winning pint of Guinness. Sunday, March 13 finds their unique Irish Brunch Buffet, complete with Irish Benedicts and Jameson-soaked bread pudding with caramel. Reservations are only being accepted for their second-floor Mrs. O’Neill’s dining room. For reservations and information, click here. 

Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago