Spring-Time for a Fresh New Look to the Outside of Your Home

Ah! Spring! There's just something about spring that puts us in the cleaning, sprucing and prettying-up mode. You'd love to do a complete makeover of the outside, but alas, money is tight this year.

No problem. You can still work wonders and make your old house look young and vibrant again. All it takes is a little hard work, paint and a few other necessities.

The first step to making your house look fresh and new is to clean up. Remove all old junk and unwanted items from around your house. The best thing to do is to create a spot for all the stuff you will be hauling to the junk yard or dump. Don't get in a big hurry, though. You may still have other stuff to haul off.

Next you need to cut and clean out bushes, trees and dead plants. Add all clippings and dead plants to the haul off pile. Prune any plants, trees, or bushes that need reshaping or trimmed. This will give your flower beds and landscaping a fresh start.

Sweep down your house and remove all cobwebs. There's nothing worse than walking up to the front door of a beautiful house and looking up and seeing cobwebs in the corner of the porch.

After sweeping the house down, you may want to consider pressure washing the house, porches and decks. Just be careful. Some painted surfaces may not withstand pressure washing.

A simple way to update your home's exterior without spending a lot of money is to simply paint the shuttters and front door a vibrant new color. Changing the color of just the shutters and door will create a whole new look for your home. Of course, if you really are sold on the present color, at least refresh it with a new coat of paint. That way the shutters and doors will still appear new.

Check out your outdoor furniture. If it is metal and starting to look old and worn out, consider giving it a fresh new life with spray paint. With spray paint, you have many colors to choose from. Just be sure to clean and remove any loose or peeling paint. Lightly sanding the metal will help the new spray paint adhere better. As always, when spray painting, keep the spray moving and about six inches from the surface being painted. Don't overspray. That will lead to runs.

It is alright to mix different outdoor furniture. Just try to keep the colors close and coordinating. For example, you can use a small metal table between two wicker chairs. Just paint the table the same color as the chairs and it will look just fine. Another way to tie odds and ends of outdoor furniture is to purchase cushions and pillows in the same fabric.

Don't forget about your curb appeal. If you have a mailbox sitting out next to the curb, pretty it up also. A good cleaning or painting (if wood) can make a real difference. Add flowers around it for instant appeal.

If you have landscape lighting, check and replace any burned out bulbs.

Last, add flowers. No home looks fresh and new without lots of beautiful
flowers and plants. Indulge in some annuals for pots near doors and on the patio. Add some into flower beds for instant color and to fill in bare spots. Add fresh mulch if needed to beds.

These simple tips can help make your home look like it has "sprung into spring."