Preparing Your Outdoor Space for Summer: Essential Tips
erinlane9104 May 10, 2024In summer, most of us substitute our living rooms with our backyards, patios, and outdoor areas. Hot summer months, long days, and beautiful weather inspire us to spend time in the open as much as we can.
That’s why, spring is the perfect time to start working on improving your outdoor space for the upcoming summer months. Sprucing up your outdoor areas might be a bit of a project after a long winter, but nothing you can’t do.
Let’s see some of the essential tips you’ll need to know to be able to prepare your outdoor space for the summer.
Mow the lawn
If you have no idea where to start, mowing the lawn is a great starter task. It’s the simplest and most universal of tasks, but it will change your backyard immediately.
Spring and summer are the months when the grass grows more rapidly, so this is a chore you’ll need to do consistently to have a beautiful outdoor space.
Another thing you could do while mowing the lawn for the first time after the winter is inspection. Inspect your lawn and look for patches of dead grass or spots that are bare. Make sure you add new seeds there to ensure your lawn is green and perfect this summer.
Also, don’t forget to water it regularly over the summer months!
Add new greenery
Spring is also a great time to plant new greenery. So, roll up your sleeves and get ready to do some gardening. Prepare your backyard for new plants by getting rid of dead plants, weeds, and debris.
After winter, most of our backyards and gardens are less than perfect, so some TLC is necessary. Clean out flower beds, prune shrubs and trees, and prepare the soil for new plants. Then visit your local garden center and get an array of new plants and flowers.
Then design your landscape and plant whichever plants you like. If you don’t really have much gardening experience, stick to easy-to-maintain plants and flowers.
Clean patio and decking
Next up are patios and decks. Your goal for the summer is to create a cozy and inviting outdoor space for entertaining and spending the summer months. That’s why you need to clean your patios and decks.
The best way to clean a deck, porch, or patio is with a pressure washer. The washer will get rid of all the dirt and grime that accumulated over the fall and winter months.
After cleaning everything, do some inspection. If necessary, repair potential problems. Your deck might have cracked wood, chipped paint, or weather damage. If that’s the case, address the issues as soon as possible.
Update outdoor lighting
While you’re doing the inspections, make sure to also inspect your outdoor lighting. You can maximize the time spent outdoors during the summer by installing and updating your outdoor lights. Good outdoor lighting means you’ll be able to spend time outdoors during the nighttime as well.
So, make sure your patio and porch lights are working and functional. Replace any burned-out bulbs with low-energy LED bulbs. Add new functional solar fence lights, landscape lights, fairy lights, and any other kinds of outdoor lights you need to create a magical outdoor oasis this summer.
Check the state of your outdoor structures
Outdoor structures such as pergolas, gazebos, arbors, fences, and others, also need your attention in the spring. Weather elements can be pretty rough on our outdoor structures, so spring is a perfect time to give them a once-over and repair what needs repairing.
If you’re lucky, your structures will only need good pressure washing and paint retouching. And if you’re not, and your structures are decayed and rotting, you’ll need to give them more care and attention to bring them back to their former glory.
Update patio furniture
After cleaning up the patio and updating the lighting, it’s time to bring out your outdoor furniture. Dust, clean, and wipe down everything, and then check out the state of it.
In some cases, the only thing your patio furniture will need is a light coat of paint or stain. However, if you notice it’s in bad shape, falling apart, or rotting out, it’s time to replace it with something new.
Clean outdoor rugs, cushions, and drapes
However, your job doesn’t end there. Next are rugs, cushions, drapes, and screens if you have any of those on your patio. Most outdoor cushions are made of water and waterproof fabric, but they also need cleaning, especially after sitting unused throughout the winter. So, clean your cushions, and check them for tears and rips.
A lot of outdoor rugs are crafted from recycled plastics or polypropylene, which makes them easy to clean with a pressure washer or a mop and cleaner. So, you won’t have much trouble cleaning outdoor rugs. Same with drapes and screens.
Check your insect-repellant devices
If you want to be safe from all the pesky insects throughout the summer, you’ll also need to check your insect-repellant devices.
Ensure your bug zappers are functioning properly. Consider adding citronella candles in gathering areas where bugs and mosquitoes are an issue. Many home improvement stores offer decorative items that blend in with your outdoor decor.
If you’re going to be using citronella candles, make sure to keep them indoors when the sun is at its brightest and hottest. This prevents the wax from melting when directly exposed to heat.
Burn the candles during the evenings, to prevent bug bites and finding insects indoors. The candle scent will deter many pests and insects and decrease the chances of suffering from bug bites in the summer.
In conclusion
These and similar tasks will help you prepare your outdoor space for the upcoming summer months. It’s important to thoroughly clean and prepare your outdoor areas during the spring when the weather is still mild and you can do these tasks easily.
This will also give you more time to enjoy your summer outdoors in a nicely organized and prepared backyard.
