Spring Cleanup

Most of us tend to hibernate for the winter, dressing in layers and restricting activity to movies on the couch under a cozy blanket.  Spring is upon us, and with that comes a new boost of energy and the urgency to tackle some Spring cleaning.  The outside of your house is  probably looking as weather-beaten and gray, so here are a few tips from the TLC network that will help you to spruce things up in your yard.

Squeaky-Clean Windows- Start with the outside windows before taking the show inside, or you won't be able to tell whether they're actually clean or not.  You'll want to tackle your screens first, in preparation for those perfect, sunny, breezy spring days that just call out for open windows. Take the screens off and take them outside for a gentle bath with a hose. If they're especially icky, you might want to rub them with some soapy water and a brush -- that old, dead fly is exactly the kind of depressing winter sight we're trying to get rid of.

Get those leaves out of the gutters- Post-wintertime, there are a lot of things you know you're supposed to do but don't actually feel like doing. Cleaning your gutters is probably one of them, but you do not want water damage to your house and doing this the ultimate defense. Once you're on that ladder, you're going to need to get rid of all the leaves, twigs and other gunk that's made a home in your gutter.

De-leaf and De-clutter the Lawn- Get ready for a lush lawn and a flourishing garden by getting rid of the soggy, old leaves choking your flowerbeds and grass. Have a few extra dollars in the kitty? Splurge for a landscaper to come out for the day. You might be able to get your raking, tilling and grass seed replenished for a decent price.

Sort it out- For a lot of people, the garage is like a big, cluttered closet -- you throw in all the unwanted stuff you can't find a home for, shut the door and hope it will magically disappear. Before you start organizing, you'll need to assign and arrange areas: Perhaps there's a hobby area in one corner and workshop equipment in another. Decide where these will go, then move on to figure out how to store everything. The more organized your garage is, the easier it will be to make use of all that you will need when working (or playing) outdoors.

Before you know it, the sun  is shining, the flowers are blooming, and the birds are chirping.  Hopefully, these tips will have you well on your way to enjoying your yard with your family!

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