(STATEPOINT) — It’s time to prep your home’s outdoor spaces for the season ahead. From the yard to the garage to the deck, getting these areas tidy is all part of a thorough spring clean.
Here are some tips to make the process faster and easier.
De-Clutter Your Workspace
Your shed, your garage, your toolbox — it’s time to take stock of what you’re storing in these key areas. Broken tools, piles of junk – these are items that will get in your way and slow you down all season long. So before you get to the nitty gritty of your outdoor spring clean, take the time to organize your workspace.
Throw out what is junk, donate what you aren’t using, and organize the rest into categories. Vertical storage can save crucial room, so install tall shelves and use walls and the ceiling to install organizational systems. Now is also a great opportunity to perform routine maintenance on your lawn equipment and tools to improve their efficiency.
Identify Multitasking Tools
Check out innovations on old tools that can make your versatile workload easier. For example, you can upgrade your conventional pressure washer for a newer model with more diverse functionality. For example, Briggs & Stratton’s new POWERflow+ Pressure Washer technology has one pump with two separate cleaning modes — high pressure and high flow, which work for different tasks.
Remember, different surfaces require different cleaning techniques. Whether you’re cleaning up tough mold and mildew stains from your deck or patio or washing the more delicate surface of your car, you can switch modes or apply soap directly from the nozzle. This feature eliminates the need for switching attachments or walking back to the pressure washer, making an afternoon of diverse to-dos manageable. Just be sure you’re using the proper mode for the task. Tips and instructional videos can be found at www.PowerFlowPlus.com.
Do Smart Yard Maintenance
If you have a larger yard, consider a riding mower to save time and energy on lawn maintenance. Remember not to over mow your lawn. Not only is it not healthy for the grass, it can be a time suck and increase your carbon footprint needlessly. Likewise, only water your lawn and garden when necessary. During periods of rain, you can ease up on this chore. The most efficient times of day to water your lawn are morning. When the sun is strongest, you will lose more water to evaporation and your work will be for naught. By changing up your lawn care habits, you can save time all season.
While working outdoors can be fun, don’t spend more time than you need to on your household spring cleaning tasks. Finding simple ways to be more efficient will give you more time to enjoy your home’s outdoor spaces.