While we’ve had some beautiful spring days lately, the weather isn’t consistent enough to take on big outside home-improvement projects yet.

So, we suggest taking the sporadic sunny spring days for simple home maintenance measures and for evaluating what bigger projects you have ahead when the mercury goes up.

Meanwhile, throughout the county, Spring Cleanup days have been scheduled to provide you with a free option of getting rid of junk around your home. So keep your date in mind as you plan your projects.

While we had a relatively mild season this year, the cold, rain and wind of winter can take their toll on your home. So, take one of these bright spring days to assess the damage of the winter.

When was the last time you took a really good look at the paint on your house and garage? Is this the year for a brand new paint job? If so, you need to plan for it now.

Homes in this climate need to be repainted about every four to seven years depending on the type of paint used and how close you live to the salt water.

Maybe it’s not time to paint the whole house, but it is time for some touchups. Scrape the area that’s peeling so you have a nice, smooth surface, then wait for a warm day to apply a little paint for the touchup.

Remember that paint isn’t just an aesthetic touch to your house, it actually prolongs the life of your home.

While you’re examining the paint job, it’s an opportune time to take a look at the windows. If they’re cracked or broken, put them at the top of your "To Do" list.

Did the winter storms loosen or chip away at the caulking? If so, now’s the time to make those repairs to weatherproof your home.

If the winter winds and rains played havoc on your roof, take off those flapping blue tarps, peak underneath and determine just how bad the damage is. You will either need to spend a bit of your Saturday up there hammer in hand or make a timely call to a roofer.

Hey, while you’re up there, might as well clean the leaves, pine needles and gunk out those gutters one last time for the season.

A part of spring cleaning has always been to air out the house. There are certainly plenty of reasons to keep up this time-honored tradition.

Assuming you’re not allergic to pollens, open up the windows and doors and let the air come in! It’ll take some of the trapped moisture away and leave your house smelling as fresh as, well, spring.

And we know that despite our warnings about the importance of ventilation throughout the year that many of you board up the foundation vents during winter. For shame! Well, it’s time to take those off (and we say, keep them off!) and let the vents do the work they were designed to.

Plan ahead and mark your calendars now for Spring Cleanup.

In almost all areas in Grays Harbor, residents will have the opportunity to get rid of their bulky too-big-to-put-in-a-trashcan items free of charge.

It started Saturday with Copalis Beach. Here’s the rest of the Cleanup calendar:

• Artic – April 8 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Artic Tavern
• East County – April 15 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the front lot of the fairgrounds
• Aberdeen – April 17-22 at the Central Transfer Station
• Hoquiam – April 24-29 at the Central Transfer Station
• Central Park – May 6 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Central Transfer Station
• McCleary – May 6 at City Hall
• Oakville – May 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the school parking lot
• Pacific Beach/Moclips – May 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. across from J& M’s at Pacific Beach
• Montesano – May 20 at the Central Transfer Station
• Grayland – June 3 from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Grayland Community Center
• Cosmopolis – date yet to be determined.

Now, you’ve got a good deadline in mind, so it’s time to get to work!

Next week, we’ll add a few items to your spring cleaning To Do list.