You know, with all that snow now melted away and saturating the ground, with the sun now beaming warmly upon us up here in the northeast corner of the U.S., it certainly is a time for some positive changes to occur for all homeowners - and especially for those who are, or have been, attempting to sell in these tough economic times.

Spring cleaning is a yearly ritual for many, no matter where in the U.S you may live. Without fail, the rakes and hoes come back out to clear the way for a fresh spring garden, the hoses are ready to wash away the dirt and dust of a long cold winter from our cars and houses so they can look spring fresh.

Indeed, not only for all homewoners, but especially for those whose houses are currently on the market, or whose houses will be on the market within the next several weeks, this is the perfect opportunity for you to use the yearly ritual of spring cleaning to give your home a fresh jump on your competition by increasing your home's curb appeal.

Getting rid of any algae growing on the roof with a power washer and bleach can help keep older roofs looking in excellent shape. You don't even have to hire a professional to do it - not unless you physically can't and have no one else to do it for you - all you need is a power washer with a minimum psi of 2500 and either regular bleach or a special algae removing formula that you can purchase from any home supply store, such as Home Depot, True Value, or Lowe's.

Planting a flower bed around the perimeter of your home, or near the house, is an additional change that you may (or may not, depending on your taste) want to consider. I've been dying to plant one with an eclectic assortment of ribbon grasses, purple hyacinths, and white lilies covered with white marble chips, bordered by belgian block for years. Hopefully I'll get to it - if not this year, then certainly by next year. Adding even a small flower bed adds a nice touch and is definitely an eye catcher.

Adding a fresh coat of paint to the fence (if you have an old wood picket one) will make it look like new; cleaning your vinyl fences will help keep them looking spring fresh and are definietly an attractive feature for families with small children who are looking for a home.

Getting rid of any debris/junk/garbage that has been lying around should be a top priority. You can call your local refuse department to determine what day would be best for you to have all of it collected from one central location at your property.

No matter whether one is selling or not, spring cleaning is one ritual that should never change, because it always provides a fresh start for the remainder of the year and allows you to showcase your most important asset: your home!

Have a happy and productive fresh spring cleaning!