If you’re like many homeowners, the thought of landscaping and thinking about your outdoor home during the winter is the furthest from your mind! Now that spring is right around the corner, your outdoor home could use some tender loving care to show off its beautiful curb appeal. Whether you are trying to sell your home, or you just enjoy having an appealing yard to greet your guests, here are tips to get you going on the right track before spring arrives.

• Clean and repair from the winter:  The cold temperatures, wind chills and dormant state of the winter season can cause many parts of your outdoor home to stop working, or get weathered. Take an assessment around your house for broken gutters and downspouts, missing or broken pavers in your walkway or driveway, as well as front porch furniture conditions. Consider pressure washing metal and concrete areas of your outdoor home to remove winter salt, dirt, and debris. Walk out to the street and examine your landscaping from afar. Are there tree branches that need pruning? How about fences that need repainting? All of these areas will help out your spring curb appeal immensely.

Photo credit: Casa Sugar

• Plan out foliage and spring additions: If you are planning on planting new plants for the spring, consider buying them now from nurseries and home improvement garden centers. Many can be kept inside your home in planters until spring, and you will save money and may get a wider selection than waiting for the upcoming season. Don’t forget ground cover such as mulch, nuggets, and rocks in plant beds. These areas tend to get worn away by winter’s elements. Keeping them maintained can help keep spring weeds to a minimum. Planning your spring foliage and ground cover now will help you get ready to plant once your geographic region is out of the threat of frost.

Photo credit: Hooked on Houses

These helpful tips to perk up your curb appeal before spring will brighten up your outdoor home, and save you the stress later on in the season. Don’t forget safety concerns when addressing curb appeal. Nighttime lighting, uneven pavers in your sidewalk, and loose handrails are also curb appeal factors that will make your home look great, and keep your house guests safe and well.

Photo credit top: Home D-zine