Rethinking Spring Cleaning

By Chantal Boudreau, Environment Committee

Spring is finally here, and with it comes Spring Cleaning! Here are 10 spring cleaning activities to help make the most of your efforts while supporting the environment!

1. Leave the leaves! Did you know that pollinators native to Ontario overwinter in our gardens and leaf litter? While it’s tempting to clean garden beds and clear the leaves as soon as they’re clear of snow, consider leaving the leaves and stems from last year’s plants until late Spring (temperatures consistently above 10^oC is often quoted as a guideline); this will give pollinators a chance to emerge in the spring. If you can hold off until Mother’s Day, you can give the gift of more pollinators and birds by leaving the leaves. For more information, see Bee City Canada or the David Suzuki Foundation.
2. Did you find a bunch of magazines, flyers, letters, etc. while tidying up? Consider making seed envelopes for the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library (see their YouTube video for instructions). Have elastic bands, mail envelopes, tape dispensers or shot glasses you no longer want or need? Consider donating them to the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library ahead of their seed packing and mail outs next Fall. E-mail [email protected] for questions or drop-off locations.
3. Take part in the Cleaning the Capital event right here in Convent Glen! If you joined the Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association Environment Committee on April 26^th for the Cleaning the Capital event near Golden Fries, thank you for your support! Couldn’t make it or want to help out another day? Check out the Cleaning the Capital Program Page on the City’s website for a full list of registered projects and locations.
4. While cleaning the windows, consider adding bird-strike film. Bird strikes occur when birds fly into windows. Bird Friendly Ottawa reports that an estimated 250,000 birds are killed in Ottawa due to collisions with windows and railings. Adding bird-strike tape to the exterior of windows will save lives. To learn more about bird strikes and how to prevent them, see Safe Wings Ottawa or Bird Friendly Ottawa. 
5. While cleaning the rain gutters and downspouts, consider redirecting downspouts to flower beds away from the foundation to absorb more water on site. Did you know the City of Ottawa Rain Ready Program has designated our community as a priority Stormwater Retrofit Area? Check out the City of Ottawa Rain Ready Program or consider purchasing a rain barrel through a local fundraiser.
6. Looking to reorganize, replace or downsize your furniture? Consider donating furniture to Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore, or Helping With Furniture in the east end, or Matthews House Ottawa in the west to name a few.
7. Before putting away your winter gear, check if it still fits. If you’ve outgrown your gear, consider donating gently used winter gear to the Snowsuit Fund of Ottawa, or bring it to an upcoming Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association Environment Committee Clothing Swap. Follow The Convent Glen – Orléans Wood Community Association Environment Committee for more details.
8. When taking out your summer clothes, check if any are in need of repair or have been outgrown. Outgrown gently used items can be donated for our upcoming Clothing Swap or on the local Buy Nothing groups (Follow The Convent Glen – Orléans Wood Community Association Environment Committee for more details on the Clothing Swap). If clothes or shoes are ripped, consider having them mended or cobbled. Did you know that shoes beyond repair can be recycled? The Nike Factory Store in Kanata accepts donations of shoes beyond repair.
9. Tune up your bike for the season ahead. Join the Convent Glen Orléans Wood Community Association for “Pedal and Play” meet-ups. Don’t have a bike? Considering buying a second-hand bike from Re-Cycles or at the 1st Kanata Scout Group – Bike Exchange and Sale 2025 among others.
10. Looking to support pollinators and birds even more? Consider removing invasives as they start to appear, and replace them with native plants. Check out Ontario’s Invasive Plant Council resources, including Grow Me Instead and plant-specific Best Management Practices. Looking for native plants? The Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library will be hosting monthly, free plant giveaways as of June. Save the dates!