Check Out Your Backyard
Okay, so the weather is improving right? Well, at least in a lot of areas it is. It will be time for some outdoor attention at your house. Your backyard and even your front yard will be begging for some kindness, and there are a few things you can do to make it look fantastic. Here are three things you can do to add appeal to your outdoor space.
Let’s Get Busy
- Clean up the clutter and dirt. I can’t stress this enough. Clutter and stuff laying around makes a space look messy. Whether the clutter is toys, yard tools, or just a pile of pool towels, picking it up and putting it away will make a huge impact. That’s where I always start. I address the easy stuff first. Now you’ll be able to address the horizontal surfaces of the backyard, the patio, a table top, etc. Get a wet rag and wipe off. Step one finished.
- Trim your bushes and trees. I have a palm tree and a lemon tree in the back corners of my backyard. At times, the palm tree will have one or two hanging down and they will be starting to dry and turn brown. These low hanging nuisances are easily trimmed with a pole saw and it changes the look drastically. This palm stands like royalty behind my swimming pool waterfall, so when it looks trimmed and tidy, it makes a huge difference. The lemon tree blooms constantly here in Arizona, so we have to cut off branches that almost touch the ground under the weight of the fruit. We pick the lemons and then trim some of these low hanging branches, transforming the underside of the tree. Step two finished.
- Pick your weeds. Here in Arizona and in many areas in the southwest, we have rocks in our backyards. I guess you can say we don’t really have yards as most would define them…grass. When the rainy season arrives, I swear my neighbor throws handfuls of weed seeds over the wall, while snickering like the Grinch. Then he waits until the weeds grow and laughs as I address the problem. By picking weeds, I get back to the clean and organized look of a rocked backyard space. It’s amazing how much better it looks. Step three finished.
Now Get Started
By doing these three simple things, I get my backyard to a clean, organized, and welcoming oasis, worthy of a party. The beauty is that it doesn’t cost me anything other than a bit of sweat equity to transform my backyard. Perform this three-step ritual a few times a year and your backyard will continue to impress all who venture there.
By doing these three simple things, I get my backyard to a clean, organized, and welcoming oasis, worthy of a party. The beauty is that it doesn’t cost me anything other than a bit of sweat equity to transform my backyard. Perform this three-step ritual a few times a year and your backyard will continue to impress all who venture there.
Hopefully You’re Inspired
We hope you will use these quick and easy steps to work on your outdoor backyard presence. Send us before and after pictures of your outdoor space, cluttered and then clean. We would love to share in a separate blog post how our readers are making their backyards an extension of their home lives. Send pics and your story to dan@backyardflare.com and thanks for reading and we hope to hear from you.
Dan Heston
Backyard Flare, LLC
