With fall just around the corner, time for outdoor projects is growing shorter, but it’s not too late to spruce things up and improve your ‘curb appeal’ before winter comes. Even if you’re still working on your Spring Cleaning list, one weekend spent on the outside of your home will make you want to throw a block party to celebrate! Attack this low-hanging fruit to spruce up the outside of your home and start planning the barbecues.
Clean out the cobwebs
If you’re like me, most of the time you don’t really ‘see’ the outside of your house. Cobwebs and grime build up slowly, and let’s face it- keeping the kitchen clean and laundry done is what’s usually on my mind.
Take a walk around the outside of your house and really look at it. Write down any areas you notice are in need of care. Commonly neglected items are light fixtures (dead bugs galore- ew!), exterior window surfaces, and siding.
A fuzzy duster and some vinegar and water solution will take care of the lighting fixtures easily in most cases. Window washing is a pain, but a squeegee attached to an extension pole makes it easier. Rent a power washer for the day to quickly clean siding, decks, driveways, and even patio furniture.
Garage organization
Your garage. You either cringe at the thought of it, or it’s neat as a pin. If you’re in the latter category, feel free to skip to the next section. For the other 98% of you, there is work to do.
I recently offered to help a friend with her garage purge after observing that she never parked her car in it. “Oh, no,” she said, “I’d be too embarrassed!” I thought, “How bad can it be? This woman’s home is impeccably clean.” But when she finally agreed to raise the door, I was in shock at the hoarder-esqe situation. It was a bit daunting, but with a few guidelines, we were able to make enough progress in one day that she could once again park in the garage!
The first rule is to get rid of what you don’t need. That broken kite? Gone. The open bag of three-year-old grass seed? Toss it. Pull everything out and trash what isn’t salvageable. If you’re not comfortable trashing something with some usable life left in it, put it in a pile to donate or sell (we’ll talk about this next.)
Once you’re rid of the trash, take what’s left and organize it into groupings. Items like sports equipment, lawn and garden supplies, and auto maintenance are obvious choices for groups. Look online for creative storage solutions, like sports equipment organizers and bike racks that hang from the rafters. Pegboard is a great, inexpensive way to organize brooms and gardening supplies. Put the rarely-used items toward the back of the garage.
Get rid of stuff!
So now you have your pile of unwanted but usable items from the garage and yard. Some items are clearly destined for donation- put those aside and schedule a pickup with a local charity. Many will come within a week if you call and ask. Craigslist also has a ‘Free’ section; post a picture of your pile and expect the trucks to start showing up about ten minutes later. Pro tip: don’t post your email or phone number, and go inside to avoid the throng.
If it’s not trash or is valuable enough, selling may be a good option. Selling unwanted items is easier than ever. There’s the ever popular garage sale, and with a little planning, these can be a huge success. Craigslist is a good option too, especially if you have nicer or higher-priced items–you will often get more money than at a garage sale. Even Facebook has new options, with ‘Swap and Sell’ groups springing up everywhere. Search for one in your area–they are tremendously popular and you’ll reach a wide, local audience.
Using these strategies, most people can complete an outdoor cleanup in just a weekend or two. You’ll be the envy of your neighbors and breathe a sigh of relief when it’s done, but don’t sit down just yet– it’s time to break out the barbecue sauce!