When spring starts to show itself, people think of new beginnings or fresh starts, and this manifests in things like property maintenance and cleanup work both inside the home and out. Our focus today is outdoor home maintenance and home repair work, but it's important to take care of your home interior as well. For details about cleaning and maintenance for indoor areas, check out our article on spring cleaning by clicking here.

There are a number of things that need to be done outside the home, and taking the time to do them right can help you wipe away the residue of winter and bring back the kerb appeal of your home. Most of all, performing yearly maintenance helps to avoid additional damage to the home as well as extensive repair costs. Let's have a look at the major outdoor areas and what needs to be done.

1. Start from the top


We're sure you've heard the old adage about cleaning from the top down. Well, this is somewhat true for the exterior of the home. The first things on your list should be the roof and gutters. You need to check your shingles to see if any need replacing. If so, a bit of roof restoration might be in order. If not, then a good roof cleaning is all that will be needed. You also want to check your rain gutters. Many times a good gutter cleaning will suffice, but if any are damaged or showing too much wear and tear, go for a gutter replacement for those damaged sections.

Once you've completed those two tasks, it's time to look over the rest of your home's exterior. Check for any paint that might be chipping or peeling as you may need to do some touch up work or repainting, and check your siding as well to be sure it's in good shape. Also, check your window screens for holes and replace any that are damaged. Make sure you're also cleaning these areas as you're checking them.


2. Continue with the cosmetics


Now we come to the "cosmetic" features of your home exterior, things that just make your home look great. This includes your landscaping, your deck, and your garden. This is where a large amount of cleaning comes in. Whether it's window cleaning, spraying down your siding or pressure cleaning your driveway and sidewalks, you want to get your house looking spick and span. However, cleaning is only one part of it.

You also need to check your landscaping and your deck. A deck is a beautiful and functional space for any back yard, and you need to do some deck maintenance to keep it in good shape. This means more than just staining wood. You also need to check your rails to see if any are loose and need to be secured, and you need to check to see if any wood requires replacing due to wear. If so, a bit of deck restoration might be in order. These days, wood is built to last, but you can never be too careful. You also want to clean your patio furniture, grill, and other items.

Your landscaping is another beautiful part of your back yard, and it needs to be maintained. If you have gravel in any areas, make sure it's evened out and looking great. Sometimes winter storms can displace it a bit and make it look uneven. Also, get to work on your lawn. It should be mowed and edged, and you can also do some aeration with a garden fork. Also, fertilise your lawn, and fill any bare spots with soil and grass seed. A beautiful lawn goes hand in hand with beautiful landscaping.

Next up, you need to check your garden. Winter is harsh on plants, and some may need to be replaced. You also need to trim any dead limbs from your existing hedges and shrubs so that they'll grow out beautifully as spring progresses into summer. You might also want to take this time to check into rainwater tanks. You can save a great deal of water by collecting the rain and using it for your garden and lawn, and it's a fairly popular trend. According to savewater.com.au, some 26% of Australian homes already have tanks installed.

You can read more about getting your garden in tip-top shape in our spring garden maintenance article here.


3. Finish with final checks


You're almost there, but a few final checks remain. Start with your garage. This space is an easy one to get cluttered. Take some time to organise your items and clean the floors and walls. If you don't have much floor space, try hanging some items on your wall if you're able to find a good place for them. Having your garage in proper order makes it far easier to keep it that way. You also want to do some smoke alarm maintenance, not just in your garage but throughout the home. Make sure all have fresh batteries and are in working order.

You also want to check the compressor for your air conditioner. It's located on the outside of your home, and you should look and see if the fan needs to be cleaned or if the pipe bringing water outdoors needs to be cleaned out. By being a little proactive, you can prevent issues from arising and avoid costly air conditioner repairs.