Get your outdoor living space ready for summer

Memorial Day kicks off the official start of summer, regardless of what the calendar says. In 2020, many homeowners weren’t planning their usual holiday get-togethers, but 2021 looks a lot brighter. Restrictions are being lifted and people are anxious to get out and safely entertain (and be entertained). Get your outdoor living space ready for summer, with some ideas from Baker Residential.

Clean the patio and deck.

You might be surprised what your pavers and decking look like when all the built-up dirt and debris is eliminated. Remove all furnishings and give the surfaces of your patio and deck a good pressure washing. 

Wash the outdoor furniture.

Scrub the chairs, tables, and other patio furniture. Clean the cushions by scrubbing with a brush and diluted Dawn dish detergent. Then hose them down to rinse. Add a few new pillows to refresh the look and make an easy change to your color palette.

Rake the lawn and gardens.

This step is like dusting every space in your house. It creates a clean canvas to start your refresh. Rake up all the dead leaves, twigs, and other debris that have gathered on your lawn and in your garden beds. As they decay, these materials can destroy healthy growth. Be sure to fertilize your lawn as soon as possible to promote the return of beautiful, green grass.

Add fresh mulch.

There’s nothing like a fresh layer of mulch to perk up a garden. It prevents weeds from sprouting up, preserves the moisture in the soil, and protects the roots of your plants. Choose the color that best accents your home’s exterior. Then, add a layer of mulch at least three inches deep to be effective.

Plan and add fresh plantings.

It’s easy to get carried away in a garden center filled with beautiful annuals, perennials, and shrubs. Before you step foot there, plan out your gardens. Make notes of where you have full sun and where there’s more shade. Decide on your color scheme and stick to it. If you’re going to do container gardens, decide on how many and which types of plants will go in each one.

Enhance the outside lighting.

Summer nights can be wonderful for getting outdoors. From entertaining a group to watching an outdoor movie or just relaxing under the starlit sky, think about uses for your outdoor living space after the sun goes down. One way to make it truly sparkle at night is by adding lights. String lights come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny twinklers to larger globes and Edison lights. Try hanging lanterns around the yard and from branches. By choosing solar-powered lights, you can avoid the need for electricity.  

Prepare your grill.

The grill is always at the center of outdoor entertaining. Make sure yours is ready for the task. Give it a good cleaning before the start of the busy grilling season. Restock the tools, like heat-resistant grilling gloves, tongs, a long-handled fork, grill basket, thermometer, and any other accessories that could make your grilling menu more versatile. If your gas grill isn’t hooked up to a gas line, make sure you have a supply of propane on hand so you don’t run out in mid-grilling.

Organize lawn games.

Get your backyard ready for playtime. If you have lawn games stashed away, bring them out for inspection and cleaning. Replace any pieces or parts, as needed. Also, take a look at the wide variety of lawn games available. In addition to popular favorites like cornhole, croquet, badminton, horseshoes, and bocce, how about pickleball and oversized outdoor yard game versions of Jenga, Yahtzee, checkers, and Connect 4?

Add a new feature.

This year, add something new and special to your outdoor living space. A water feature—like a fountain, pond, waterfall—is a calming element. Maybe a firepit is more to your liking. Make it as large or as small as you’d like. Possibly, this is the year to install a decked-out outdoor kitchen. Whatever you decide, it will add interest, excitement, fun, or all of the above to the backyard enjoyment.

We’re ready for summer!

The demand for new homes has been greater than anyone expected a year ago. Baker Residential is keeping up with the vibrant market. We recently announced that we acquired 24 homesites at LakeStone at Wake Forest, a beautifully serene lakeside community. We’re also bringing more luxury homes to Cary with the opening of Estates at Weddington, while the new community of Starling Woods will soon offer single-family homes in Durham. If you’re interested in the ease of townhome living, Baker Residential is preparing to launch the townhome community of The Parc at Edwards Mill in Raleigh.

We have a lot “growing on” at Baker Residential so if you’re thinking about new construction, reach out to us to begin exploring the many possibilities we have waiting for you with new homes for sale in the Raleigh-Durham region!