Increase Your Curb Appeal This Fall

The frost isn’t quite on the pumpkin; in Indiana they are predicting 90° weather this week! But it is time to think about what you are going to need to do to get your outdoor space ready for cooler weather. This is a great time to do some tidying up before the weather changes and you just want to hunker down indoors. If you live in those unfortunate areas that don’t get bitterly cold winters, you still might want to use this time of the year to do some general upkeep. 

 

 Update Your Plants

Replace those scraggly potted plants with fall friendly annuals. My citronella plant had seen much better days; putting it out of its misery and replacing it with a vibrant orange chrysanthemum gave my patio a whole new life. 

Amp Up Your Outdoor Lighting

The days are getting shorter, but there’s no need to pack it in at dusk because the sun is going down. Add a few more stands of patio lights, an outdoor lamp, and extra candles and get all the pleasure you can out of those lovely, crisp fall evenings. 

Spruce Up Your Fire Pit

Don’t have one? Family Leisure can help you out there. Fire features are awesome in the autumn; make sure yours is clean, fueled up (or the wood is stacked up) and ready to go.

 

Clean Out Your Gutters

Those gutters are probably full of leaves, dirt, seeds, and who knows what. Even with gutter covers, we have to hose them out once or twice a year; spring and fall are good times to attack this not so pleasant task. While this might not seem to be important in the grand scheme of outdoor life, if your gutters aren’t functioning correctly, you will end up with flooded areas, roof issues, and mildew. 

Replenish Your Mulch

Trees, shrubs, perennial flower beds all benefit from a re-mulching in the fall. It helps them maintain moisture, and protects roots and bulbs. And a nice, new, fresh layer of mulch just looks so much better. 

Clean Your Deck or Patio

An ant colony has taken up residence between our pavers; you may have dirt, leaves, stains, bird yuck and sun damage that should be addressed before winter. Sweep up debris (or use your leaf-blower to clear it off); pressure wash to remove mildew and moss. Touch up stain or paint to help your deck or patio survive the weather to come. 

Clean Your Patio Furniture

My normally beige chairs have taken on a hint of green over the summer; time to get out the bleach and get them back to their normal selves. Here are some tips for the various types of patio furniture:

• Aluminum furniture is easy to clean with mild soap and water.
• Sling furniture can be cleaned with a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water.
• See your manufacturer’s instructions for cleaning cushions; depending on the material, you may need to use various methods for clean-up. If your cushions contain any natural fabrics, like cotton or if they have a printed on pattern, you will need to take extra care to keep the fabric from fading.
• Teak furniture can be power-washed to restore its natural color.

Touch up paint, sand and paint rusted areas, replace faulty hardware. Invest in some furniture covers if you don’t have indoor storage for your furniture. It’s just like putting your car in the garage; your furniture will look better, longer, if you keep it protected over the winter. 

Clean Up Your Grill

You can use your grill year round, but this is a great time of year to get it back to pristine condition. Summer tends to take its toll, and fall still allows for a lot of grilling opportunities. Get rid of that gooey, burnt on, greasy mess and keep your space smelling clean and your food tasting great. 

Service Your Spa

Hot tubs tend to get neglected during the summer, but are back in business as soon as the mercury drops. Now is the time to check for leaks, replace your water, replenish your chemicals, repair or replace your cover, service your pump and heater. 

Fall may not be better than summer for outdoor life, but it can be equally as fun and vital!