Curb appeal matters, and not just when you’re trying to sell a home. The appearance of your exterior can enhance or degrade your quality of life. It might even dictate whether or not you make friends with the neighbors. Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to keep your home looking as good outside as it does inside. Here’s how a little effort can have big results.
A Fabulous Fall
During the fall, it’s often damp and humid, but typically comfortable. This means you want to spend more time outdoors. To keep your outside a place you want to be, prioritize cleanup. This might mean:
- Remove leaves. Cooler nights and shorter days mean your trees will lose their leaves. Clean up your front yard with leaf removal services so that your landscape looks top-notch.
- Paint. Cooler weather also means that you can paint, whether that’s your front door, fence, or deck. If you go for the door, go ahead and replace the knobs while you’re there for a completely updated look.
- Clean the gutters. Clogged gutters not only look bad from the road but they can also lead to water intrusion from rainwater spillover during heavy downpours. If you’re planning to hang lights for the holiday season, you’ll already have the ladder out, so there’s no reason to skip this important step.
- Fertilize. Fall is the time to feed your lawn so that it stays nourished throughout the winter. Then come springtime, your grass will look deep green and beautiful.
- Plant. If you need additional trees and plants to improve your landscaping, now is the best time to plant. The cooler weather in fall gives roots time to get established without the stress of really hot or cold air temperatures.
Winter Wonderland
Once fall is gone, Santa’s sleigh is up and ready to visit your neighborhood. Make sure that St. Nick feels welcomed by:
- Hanging lights. You’ve already cleaned the gutters so a strip of twinkling lights along the gutters and down the walkway will give your house a feeling of warmth on cold winter nights.
- Add winter decorations. If your home is on the market, skip the inflatables. However, HGTV says subtle decorations, such as a wreath or a stack of firewood on the porch, will go a long way toward increasing curb appeal.
- Clean the windows. Your Christmas tree will look beautiful inside, but if you want the full effect seen from the road, make sure your windows are clean.
Spring Sensation
Spring is a time of renewal, and not just for nature.
- Add a doormat. Spring brings the rain, and the rain brings the mud. If you don’t want the mud tracked into your house, stop your guests at the door with a doormat stenciled with your custom message.
- Pressure wash. Pressure washing can help take away the algae and clean up your surfaces for painting or sealing. Call Mowing Magic to help you give your exterior a nice bath before your siding, deck, and driveway turn into eyesores.
- Mulch. Mulching is one of the quickest things you can do (after you weed the flowerbeds) to give your home an instant facelift. There are many types of mulch, including, according to The Home Depot, color enhanced, pine nugget, rubber, and pine needles.
Sultry Summers
Even if you tend to hide inside during the hottest parts of the year, you want your home to look its best, especially since summer is selling season. Tips to keep your exterior in excellent shape from June through August are to:
- Keep the pool clean. If you have a swimming pool, keep it clear throughout the summer. Keep up with your pool maintenance, which includes using the right chemicals, vacuuming, and keeping algae at bay.
- Plant flowers. A pop of color never hurt anybody’s front lawn. Grab your garden gloves and your spade and add a few marigolds, blanket flowers, or hibiscus for a fragrant and fresh addition to your porch, patio, or lawn.
- Keep the yard mowed. Your lawnmowing partner can help you keep your grass at exactly the right length based on the summer heat and rain levels. Not only will this keep your lawn healthy, a neat and tidy yard looks great, too.
As you can see, it doesn’t take much to improve the way your home looks, no matter the season. From this fall through next summer, the few tips above will make it look like you put more time and money into your yard than you have. The result will be a better place to entertain and, potentially, more money in your pocket when and if you decide to sell.