PAINT
The most obvious improvement here has to do with paint. It may seem overly obvious, but most people are surprised just how much a simple coat of paint can transform a house, room, fence, etc. Painting is probably one of the most cost-effective solutions to giving your home a facelift. Whether you paint your entire home or repaint your chipping window sills, paint can cover over years of wear and make a home look new! On top of all this, if you are handy, painting can be a DIY activity. Just remember that the prep you put into the area you are painting will determine how nice the end result looks. Don’t expect a coat of paint to cover over a peeling, chipped fence and make it look new. That fence will probably need pressure washed and maybe even scraped to achieve a beautiful result.
PAINT SUMMARY: Assess which painted areas of your home have faded, chipped or become out-dated and think about repainting them. It can be a great DIY project that can make your home feel new!
LAWN CARE
A healthy lawn makes a large difference to the appearance of a home. Luckily, you don’t have to be someone who is obsessed with their lawn and has too much time on their hands to have a nice lawn. In fact, just increasing the height of your mower’s blade can contribute to greener, more healthy grass. One should aim to cut the top 1/3 of the length of their grass. The top 1/3 portion is leafy and decomposes quickly. When it is cut, it falls and contributes to the health of the grass it was cut from by giving the grass more nutrients and holding more moisture for the grass. As a rule of thumb, grass should be cut higher in summer and lower in winter. Another factor that is doesn’t require any additional commitment to your lawn is ensuring that your lawn mower’s blade is sharp. A dull blade actually tears the grass instead of cutting it. This damages the grass and causes it to turn yellow until it has time to heal. I learned these tips from familyhandyman.com. For an in-depth explanation of these and more tips, visit his article here: https://bit.ly/2ptJR9t
LAWN CARE SUMMARY: Having a greener yard doesn’t require a huge time commitment. Cutting only the top 1/3 of your grass when you mow is better for your lawn and having a sharp blade on your mower is important because a dull blade damages your grass.
BASIC LANDSCAPING
A weekend’s worth of yard work could transform the appearance of your home. Creating bordered landscaping beds, like the one pictured below, are easy and look great. These can either be bordered with a dug-out trench or some sort of paver, or stone and are usually built up with mulch, or pine needles. Selecting which plants you want in your landscaping beds can be overwhelming. I recommend searching through Pinterest to find a layout you like and which types of plants you like. Once you’ve found your style, take a road-trip to your local Lowes or Home Depot who usually has a staff member that specializes in landscaping. They can help you choose plants that complement each other and won’t over-grow. Once you have some plants, plant them in your beds. Utilize the images from Pinterest that inspired you as guides. The key is to have fun with it!
BASIC LANDSCAPING SUMMARY: Landscape beds are easy and relatively inexpensive to make and they can transform the appearance of your home. Get ideas from Pinterest and advice from the staff at Lowes or Home Depot to make this a DIY breeze.
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Sincerely,
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