A Fresh Look for your Front Yard in Less Than a Day

~ Trim and mow the lawn. This is probably the biggest part of your front yard so once this is done you will see a huge improvement. By trimming, I mean using a weed eater or clippers to trim the grass in places the mower won't reach. If you have an average size yard, this should take less than 45 minutes.

~ Weed and clean out the flowerbeds. If you have been keeping up with the weeding, this shouldn't take too long, depending on how many beds you have. If your beds are over-run with weeds, start small and do 15 minutes a day; remember, you want a fresh look in less than a day (if some weeding isn't done, that's okay... the improvements you have done will make a big difference still). I know from experience that 15 minutes a day weeding makes a difference and you'll be done in no time. I had been neglecting my flowerbeds for quite some time and this year I couldn't take it anymore... I wanted a nice looking yard. I was overwhelmed, but told myself if I at least go out and weed 15 minutes a day, I'll feel better because at least I'm trying. To my surprise, within a week or two of 15 minutes per day weeding, I had made it through the entire yard, and I have quite a few flowerbeds. Be sure to also clean out the flowerbeds by getting any dead leaves, twigs or trash. When I weed & clean out the beds, I bring along a big empty plastic flower pot to put the weeds into, then when it's full, I dump it on the compost pile. If you have weeds growing through the cracks of your sidewalk, get those today. This shouldn't take too long.

~ Trim plants. If you have any plants with dead leaves, branches or flowers on them, or are growing out-of-control, trim them. This not only improves the look of your front yard, but improves the health of your plants. This shouldn't take too long as long as you don't have tons of flowerbeds! If you do, then go to the 15 minute a day rule as in weeding above.

~ Get rid of clutter and put things away that are in your yard or on your front porch. If things are laying around, either put them away, throw them away or give them away. Make a decision if you want the items or not, and if you want them, they need to be put away since you can't have a fresh look with them all over the place. Put car washing items all in one spot, hopefully somewhere hidden, like in the garage. Wind up the water hose, put the toys in one area and teach the kids to put them there when finished, keep small garden tools in a handy container on your porch, big ones in the garage or shed, etc. This should take no longer than 30 minutes, depending on what there is to put away. If it's really messy, do the 15 minute a day rule.

~ Consider adding yard and porch decor here and there. This doesn't have to be done today of course, but I think it's fun to hunt for yard and porch decor items and they can give a fresh look, especially if you rotate them or switch places with other ornaments. You don't have to spend a fortune either... I love a bargain and have found many. I found a darling hang-up scarecrow about 2 feet tall at Wal-mart for $1.89 and a matching smaller one on a dowel for .89 cents! I hung the scarecrow up next to my front door & poked the small one in a planter I have on the front porch... they are adorable. At a recent yard sale, I found a couple of glittery shiny balls about 6 inches in diameter that I'm going to hang from a tree. I find seasonal wreaths at the thrifts stores and little garden critters at the Dollar Store. I also love to find ornamental pots and use those for plantings around the yard. If I tire of the ornaments, I put them in a 'Free Box' on the front sidewalk for someone else to enjoy. So, if you have some ornamental items around, put them out or switch places. Don't go overboard though... too many ornaments can look cluttery and spoil the look.

I hope this give you inspiration. Remember, it doesn't all have to be done in one day, but you should at least do 15 minutes in each job type today to see the fresh look you're after. For more yard and garden inspiration check out the Gardening Tips e-book: http://homemakersjournal.com/gardeningtips.htm

A Fresh Look for your Front Yard in Less Than a Day!