No matter the size of your house, whether it’s a tiny home or a big one or something in between, it’s likely that you and your family like to spend significant hours outside in the warmer months of the year. 

While it might be chilly right now, spring will be here before we know it, so it’s worth spending time now and over the coming months to set yourself up for lots of lovely outdoor relaxation and entertainment time. Here are some upgrades worth starting soon. 

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Build a Fire Pit

If you want to up the romance a little for you and your partner throughout the year or just enjoy sitting around an open fire sharing stories with family members and friends, why not build a fire pit in your backyard? Nothing quite compares to staring at a flame to help aid relaxation and set a mood, and kids of all ages (not to mention adults) love to roast marshmallows at any time of the year. Consider looking for glass fireplace doors online to elevate your fire pit’s appearance and safety, while providing a cozy and stylish atmosphere for your outdoor gatherings.

You can purchase pre-made fire pits made from cast iron, steel, or other materials or, if you’re handy, you could even make one yourself and get extra satisfaction from using something you’ve built with your own two hands.  

Spend Time on the Home’s Façade

One of the key ways to boost your property’s curb appeal and to help make it more saleable and generally look nicer for you and your family is to spend time improving the façade of the place. You can do multiple things to boost this area, such as replacing the exterior siding. This can be a cost-effective and reasonably short project if you know what you’re doing, so check out videos online for tips, or consider hiring someone for the job if needed. 

You can economically replace siding with manufactured stone veneer, or there are other products to select from. If budget is an issue, focus on the siding on the front of the house, considering this is what people see when they arrive at your property. 

Swap Out Old Doors for New Ones

Another way to make your home look more impressive from the outside is to get rid of old and outdated or broken doors and replace them with nice, modern new ones. For instance, you may want to put on a new front door and swap out garage doors for better-functioning (and likely remote-controlled) new ones. 

For the front door, consider a stylish wooden or steel product with some new hardware and perhaps elegant window panels that help dress up the entranceway. Your front door sets the tone for the property, so you’ll be amazed at what a difference this affordable change can make. 

As for garage doors, swapping older manual options for new doors operated by remote can make life a lot easier, especially when it’s raining outside and you don’t want to get wet hauling doors up by hand. While these products cost more and are an investment, they should also increase the value of your property, with most homebuyers keen to buy places with this functionality. 

Replace or Put In Landscaping

Landscaping is another great way to upgrade your home's outdoor area. If there isn’t much in your yard, it’s time to go shopping for easy-care, low-water trees, shrubs, and plants. It pays to purchase some native plants designed to grow well in your area. Plus, it helps if you purchase a few select types of plants in multiples to give your garden a simpler, streamlined, and cohesive look. You can pick out some brightly-colored flowers to add more hues to your yard and purchase already decently sized trees or shrubs if you want to get that well-established look ASAP. 

On the other hand, perhaps your yard looks overgrown because it hasn’t been paid much attention in recent months, and things have been let go. If so, it’s time to remove dead greenery, transplant trees or shrubs that have grown too large for their spaces to somewhere with more room, and trim plants to get them under control. Cut greenery back so it’s not hanging over your roof or dropping lots of leaves into your gutters, too. 

When it comes to landscaping, you may also want to put in some fresh new grass or work on the current lawn to make it look green and lush. Aerate, water, and fertilize the grass to help it come back to life. Also, you may want to install a sprinkler system to help the lawn and all your plants grow well without having to spend too much time watering throughout the year. 

When improving your outdoor area, consider all aspects, including how you maintain your garden. While herbicide products are an option for controlling weeds, be informed about potential risks. Some chemicals could cause harm, and it's essential to be aware of the ongoing Roundup weed killer lawsuit. This case highlights the importance of understanding what you use in your garden and opting for safer alternatives when possible.

Complete your landscaping with the expertise of a professional Oak Ridge landscapers by adding some walkways, paving, hedges, mulch, and other factors to tie everything together and minimize maintenance, too.

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Build a Deck or Patio

Many of us enjoy entertaining outdoors, especially in the warmer months of the year. Some of us like to work outside when the weather allows it or to chill out in an external area reading, thinking, or chatting with friends or family. Either way, it helps to have a nice deck or patio area to while away the hours if possible. You may want to build one before summer gets here, so you have a space all ready to use when it’s barbecue weather. 

If you have a tight budget, create some privacy by placing plants or screens around the part of your yard that leads out from your home, and then add some pavers to the ground. However, where possible, it’s nice to build something more permanent that becomes a structure that also adds value to your home. Many homeowners like to install a wooden deck, or you can expand the outside living area by putting up a pergola or other roofing structure to give you a patio space with shelter and shade. 

Regardless of the type you go for, you can make these external entertaining zones more user-friendly by adding an outdoor kitchen complete with a grill, sink, and mini fridge. Plus, bring in some outdoor ceiling fans to help keep the area cool in summer or outdoor gas heaters to reduce the chill when the temperature drops. Buy some comfortable outdoor furniture, too, such as a day bed, dining table and chairs, benches, or ottomans. 

Doing some or all of these things will make your place imminently more liveable year-round and help to boost the value of your property, too.

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