Now that winter finally appears to be exiting stage left, many homeowners are looking at their yards and thinking, “I’d rather do anything than clean up this mess.” After a long winter stuck indoors, you want to get out and enjoy the warmer weather, not spend your days raking up dead grass and washing windows.
The good news is that you don’t have to spend weeks and weeks getting your yard cleaned up in the spring. Depending on the size of your yard, you can get it spruced up and looking great in just a few weekends. Best of all, there are a few shortcuts you can implement to avoid a lot of heavy lifting — and you might even do some good in the process.
Assess the Damage
The first step to spring-cleaning is to assess the damage and determine your priorities. Take some time to walk around the yard and take note of projects that you need to tackle. Inspect trees and shrubs on your property to ensure they survived the winter, look at windows and shutters to make sure nothing is loose or damaged, and check on any fencing to make sure it’s not leaning or damaged in any way. Once you have an idea of what needs to be done, you can set priorities.
Outsource
Is there a job that you are really dreading? Look into hiring someone else to take care of it. Even small jobs, like preparing your garden beds, can be outsourced to the professionals. Spending a few hundred dollars on a lawn or pool service, for example, can save you a lot of time, which you can devote to other tasks on your list. If you just need a few extra sets of hands, many nonprofit organizations or school groups even sponsor spring workdays, where you can hire groups of volunteers to handle tasks for you in exchange for a donation. For the cost of a few pizzas, you can get your yard cleaned up or garage organized in a fraction of the time of doing it yourself.
Get Rid of the Junk
Spring is a great time to look objectively at the items that you’re hanging on to that could be put to better use by someone else, or outright thrown away. For example, are you hanging on to that old boat even though you haven’t been out on the water for several years? It might be time to jettison it. If you don’t want to spend the time trying to sell it, consider giving it to an organization that accepts boat donations and can use it to raise money for a good cause. Go through your garage and shed to identify items that you no longer need (like old bicycles, yard equipment, and sporting gear) and donate them to a worthy organization. Not only will your yard look better, you’ll help others.
Get Clean
In many cases, just a little soap and water is all your home needs to perk up and look better for spring. If you don’t own a power washer, rent or borrow one and spend an afternoon washing the exterior of your home. And while it’s no one’s favorite job, cleaning off the layer of winter dust on your windows can go a long way toward making your home sparkle. While you’re at it, clean out your garbage bins, too.
Clear the Debris
Much like a good wash, just clearing the debris in your yard can go a long way toward making your home look great. Clean up branches and twigs that litter the yard, rake up any remaining leaves, remove last years’ plants that didn’t survive, and put away any remnants of winter that still remain.
Sweep the driveway and front porch steps, clear away the cobwebs, and clean your outdoor lights with some glass cleaner. If you have landscaped areas that are looking a little tired, a few bags of fresh mulch can go a long way toward freshening them up.
Make It Look Pretty
Once the big stuff is taken care of, add a few details to add some spring color and curb appeal. Replace your welcome mat, add a few potted plants, and any other accessories you wish. If you want low-maintenance color for years to come, plant some bulbs or perennials in your flowerbeds. Spring classics like tulips and daffodils should be planted in the fall, but you can add some summer color by planting some dahlias, gladiolus, or lilies in the spring, all of which will return year after year with little care.
Spring cleanup doesn’t have to extend well into the summer months. With a few of these easy tricks, you can get the work done fast and be kicking back with a lemonade before you know it — at least until the grass needs to be cut.
