As the weather begins to warm up this spring, your thoughts will probably turn to spring cleaning. There is nothing like a good scrubbing and organizing of your home after a long winter. But spring cleaning doesn’t have to just take place indoors. The outside of your home can benefit from a complete tidying up as well.
Spring cleaning your outdoor spaces isn’t just for aesthetic benefits, although that is a great reason to clean up outside. In addition to making your home look better and getting fresh air, engaging in cleaning and repair work each spring will keep your home in tip-top shape. Never underestimate the cleaning tasks as spring showers set in.
Tidying up, organizing, and repairing outdoor living spaces of your home, including your lawn and garden, will address any safety concerns. These chores will prevent leaks and damage, prepare your garden area for planting, and care for your lawn after the hard winter months.
Doing these chores and updates becomes even more important if you are thinking of putting your home on the market. When you’re ready to sell, boosting the curb appeal of your house increases the likelihood you will get a good price for your home. In fact, curb appeal accounts for up to 7% of a home’s value when it’s sold, according to a study in The Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics.
“Curb appeal is essential. If your house looks dirty, then buyers will skip your pictures and never see the amazing kitchen,” explains Eric Kucharik, real estate agent in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Spending the time and money to update your landscaping also goes a long way toward selling your home. Mercedes Smith, a Salt Lake City, Utah, realtor says, “Investing even a small amount in landscaping and trimming can make a world of difference to buyers as they first approach your home.”
Before you start on your outdoor spring cleaning chores, gather all the supplies you’ll need. Doing this lets you maintain a steady workflow without needing to stop to get more supplies or repair any equipment. Some of the things you’ll need for your outdoor spring cleaning include:
• Work/garden gloves
• Safety goggles
• Broom
• Rake
• Trimmer
• Garbage bags
• Wheelbarrow
• Ladder
• Jet sprayer or pressure washer
• Leaf blower
• Hose
• Bucket
• Soft cloths or rags
• Wire brush for grill
• Painting supplies
If you anticipate having a lot of waste and debris to dispose of, consider getting a small rental dumpster before you start working. You’ll be able to discard all of your rubbish while you work instead of letting it pile up waiting on a pickup by your residential trash service or a junk hauler. You will enjoy the fruits of your labor right away by containing and removing your waste as you progress through each step.
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• Wash/power wash outside of house, including all siding and any recessed areas
• Trim any plants touching your home and clean behind them to remove any dirt or mold
• Inspect your roof for any damage and make any necessary repairs
• Touch up paint on your siding, retaining walls, or roof trim with a fresh coat
• Place a ladder against your home and have a partner hold it securely
• Climb the ladder to reach your gutters
• Put on work gloves and remove leaves, twigs, and other debris from your gutters
• You can use a leaf blower to help clear debris from your gutters
• Inspect your downspouts for any blockages
• Finish with a good rinse out of your gutters and downspouts with a jet hose sprayer
• Ensure that your downspouts are in position to divert water away from your home’s foundation
• If there are any holes or leaks in your gutters, use a sealant on the inside of your gutters
• Reattach any gutters that are pulling away from your home
• Pressure washing or with a jet attachment on your hose can clean the grime off of outdoor surfaces
• Check your walls, driveway, and sidewalks for damage and make necessary repairs
• Level any uneven stepping stones, flagstones, brick walks, or path pavers
• Refill the spaces between pavers or flagstones with fresh gravel or sand
• Use a power washer or the jet attachment on your hose to spray off your garage door
• Use a soapy cleaning solution to wipe down the door, rinsing until clean
• Don’t forget the trim areas of your garage door
• Attach a jet sprayer hose attachment to your hose
• Use a ladder to reach high windows
• Clean with cleaning solution, a rag, and a squeegee for squeaky clean windows
• Remove, wash, and store any storm windows you have
• Rinse your window screens to remove dust
• Rake out and clear away any leaves and debris at the base of your fence
• Power wash your fence or use the jet attachment on your garden hose
• Touch up a wooden fence with paint or stain wherever it is worn or faded
• Check your outdoor light fixtures and replace any that are damaged or not working
• Clean the glass on your light fixtures
• If your bulbs need replacing, choose energy efficient lighting, such as LED lights
• Add solar path lighting for a welcoming touch
• Sweep the surface of your deck or porch well
• Pressure wash or use a jet nozzle on your hose to clean your deck and the ceiling of your porch
• Repair any damage on your wood deck and re-stain any worn areas
• Wash your outdoor furniture to remove winter grime
• Clean your chair and bench cushions, letting them dry completely in the sun
• Repaint your front door if it is worn or damaged
• Get a new clean doormat to spruce up your front entry
• Pull old weeds from your garden beds and around shrubs
• Rake any dead foliage left over from fall
• Pull out wilted annuals from last year
• Trim perennials, trees, and shrubs
• Inspect prune trees and shrubs for damage or disease
• Plant spring bulbs such as anemones, begonias, lilies, dahlias, gladiolus, and cannas
• Add new spring plants to your landscaping beds
• Make needed repairs to garden features such as gazebos, pergolas, trellises, and fountains
• Re-stain and reseal any wooden garden structures
• Top off garden beds with fresh soil and clean mulch
• Spray off your outdoor pots and planters, scrubbing them if they are grimy
• Rake your lawn well to remove old grassing clippings and small twigs
• Have your lawn aerated and dethatched if you did not do this in the fall
• Apply a spring fertilizer/weed killer, using a slow-release lawn feed product
• Overseed your lawn once the risk of frost has passed
• Tune up your lawn mower and weed eater to get them ready for the first mow of the season
• Test and repair your automatic sprinkler system and then set the timer schedule for watering
• Inspect your outdoor hoses for cracks or leaks and replace if necessary
• Scrub your grill’s grates with a stiff wire brush, using a dish soap solution
• Add some degreaser to the solution for an extra dirty grill
• Rinse and then wipe the grill grates with a rag to remove residue and any brush bristles
• Inspect the grill and replace any broken parts
• Replace the old drip pan or clean it well if it is not disposable
• If needed, repaint your grill with a high-heat spray paint
• Refill your propane tanks
• Remove all trash from your garbage containers
• Pour some dish soap into the can
• Use the jet attachment on your hose to spray down the inside and bottom of your can
• Tip out and rinse well until all soap residue is removed
• Spray the inside of your garbage container with a disinfecting and deodorizing solution
• Brighten up your outdoor space with new patio furniture cushions and pillows
• Add an outdoor rug to your patio
• Place potted plants on the sides of your stairs
• Add a spring floral wreath to your front door
Spring cleaning the outside of your home should be a part of your annual cleaning and home maintenance task each year. Whether you are trying to sell your home or planning on staying in your home for years to come, taking the time to inspect your outdoor areas and home, making repairs, and cleaning surfaces improves the condition of your home.
Making small repairs before they become big problems will save you money over the long term. These tasks will carry you through the summer, increasing your use and enjoyment of your home’s exterior spaces.
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