Summer is the perfect time to shake off those winter doldrums and get active again. While you can always get involved in a pickup sport or go for a daily run, there are also a lot of physically active summer projects that you can tackle right around your own yard that can help to improve your home.
Here are a few suggestions for common summer projects (roughly listed from simple and easy to bigger and more complex) to help you get some momentum. You can do these directly, adapt them to your specific scenario, or use this as a springboard to come up with your own list of outdoor warm-weather objectives.
Minimize
It’s always a good idea to start by minimizing the chaos in your yard before you start to work on something new. Before you pick up a hammer or head to the home improvement store, comb over your yard and look for everything from abandoned toys to blown-in garbage, empty planters, and overgrown gardens.
Get rid of the junk, donate what you can, and store everything that matters in the garage or shed. Then, get out your mower, trim the lawn, and do whatever you need to in order to start your projects with a clean slate.
Power Wash the House
While we’re on the subject of cleaning and neatening, one simple and easy summer project is to plan in some time to power wash the house. You can spray dirt off of the siding, finally clean all of that winter filth off the deck, and even power wash any unsightly stains off of the driveway. Just make sure to choose your equipment wisely and stay safe as you work.
Clean Out the Garage
Cleaning out the garage is another area that is technically “cleaning,” but really deserves its own category as full-on “project status.” Cleaning the garage — or a shed or barn — can be a huge project that is easy to put off until another day.
However, the summer is the perfect time to get everything out of that dank, overstuffed space and see just what, exactly, you have in there. Besides, you can use the opportunity to throw away anything that has gotten too dirty or mouse infested. You can also use the occasion to make sure that the basic garage elements like the lights and the drain are functioning properly.
Build Outdoor Furniture
Alright, now it’s time to get to some more exciting summer projects. While cleaning up, power washing, and restoring your existing spaces are all great home-maintenance activities, sometimes you need to get a little bit more creative with your plans if you want to truly feel inspired enough to get up off your butt and into the great outdoors.
One easy way to do this is to make plans to build some outdoor furniture. While a patio set is all well and good, sometimes a man just needs to build his own seating. A few ideas for outside furniture projects that will keep you happily busy and benefit your hard’s overall decor include:
- Pulling together a DIY bench.
- Hanging a tire swing for the kids (and yourself).
- Building an army of chairs or stools.
- Assembling an epic picnic table.
- Constructing an outdoor coffee bar.
Build a Firepit
Another great outdoor construction project is choosing a spot for a firepit. Whether you already have an overgrown pit or you’ve been wanting one for a while, choose a nice grassy space and turn it into a trendy spot to let your inner pyromaniac desires out on a regular basis.
Put in a Walkway
Even if your yard gets flooded with melting snow each spring, it’s easy to forget that by the time the warm, dry summer weather rolls around. Don’t forget about it this summer! Make plans to finally put in that walkway from the driveway to the house, the backyard to the firepit, or wherever else you regularly need mud-free access.
Start a Lawncare Business
If you’re feeling particularly ambitious this year, you can always take advantage of the summer weather to start your own lawn care business. If you plan ahead you’ll have plenty of time to set your budgets, get any permits, spruce up your equipment, spread the word, and have plenty of extra spending money flowing in by the time summer kicks off.
Redo Your Roof
Finally, if you’re feeling ambitious in a less entrepreneurial sense, you can still tackle a larger project right on your own property. If you’ve been putting off getting a new roof, it might be time to take on the project with some of your own blood, sweat, and tears.
Summer is a great time to redo the roof, but often that means professional companies will be booked up for weeks and months in advance. If you find you can’t get a roofer on the books, take some time to redo your own roof this summer.
The Power of Summer Projects
Whether you’re cleaning up your yard, building some sweet patio furniture, marketing your own lawn care company, or tearing off those old shingles, there are tons of things you can do this summer to help you stay active.
The important thing is that you just do it!. Don’t find excuses. Don’t let a long week of work slow you down. Consider what it is that you want to do as a side project this summer and then schedule in the time you need to get it done.