After a long, cold, exhausting winter it’s finally spring and soon will be the glorious sunny days of summer. Your summer prep probably includes buying a new bathing suit and sunscreen, but this is also the time to get your home ready for the warm months ahead.

First, make sure you clean your front door. Summer is the time for outdoor barbecues and food-filled porch picnics, make sure your front entry way is ready for all of your summer guests. Your front door is the first thing visitors will see so it is important to make it shine. The winter has probably covered your front door with salt and other grime and refinishing, sanding, and painting your front door will give it a nice makeover for the summer. Using exterior polyurethane with ultraviolet inhibitor will make the improvements you’ve made to your door last.

While you’re preparing for that outdoor barbeque or grill-session with family and friends, make sure you clean your grill. There may be dust and cobwebs inside from lack of use over a few months. Clean the grill surface with grill cleaner and use a wire bristle brush to scrape off any unwanted residue. Other deck and lawn items may also need to be cleaned for your backyard garden/grill parties. It is worth the investment to rent or buy a power washer. This can be used to clean lawn furniture, siding, gutters, fences, and driveways. It makes cleaning fast and easy and will make you feel quite powerful!

Before summer is in full swing and in the transition from heating to cooling, make sure to check your HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) system. With harsh winter weather, your home is shut up and your HVAC system works very hard to keeps you comfortable. The spring transition is the perfect time to replace or clean all your air filters so that they are working efficiently for the summer.

Spring is also time to ready your yard and landscaping. Rake away any left over leaves from the fall, trim trees and bushes, and clear out gutters. This is also a great time to make sure you have all of the gardening supplies you need like hoses, shovels, and gardening gloves. Spread some mulch on your flowerbeds and get ready for a glorious summer!