Summertime evokes thoughts of vacations, school breaks and relaxing in the great outdoors.
However the warmer temperatures and extra time (hopefully!) can be the perfect window to tackle some home maintenance projects. Especially before the kids head back to school, and it gets too chilly for DIY projects.
To help us come up with a list of easy DIY projects to complete before fall, we turned to Kyshawn Lane, the creator of the Weekly Home Check.
Kyshawn helps millions of people (he calls them his “homies”) stay on top of home maintenance with weekly videos giving step-by-step instructions on projects that might seem overwhelming.
So let’s get you going on that to-do list.
Paint That Room You’ve Been Wanting To Makeover
While you want to avoid painting on humid days, there’s one big advantage to tackling indoor painting during summer: you can open the windows to decrease or even eliminate paint fumes.
Open windows will also help with the drying time between coats, helping you get the job done faster.
Summer can also be a good time to repaint your home’s exterior, although you might want to hire a professional for that big of a job.
Not that we’ve mentioned the outside of your home …
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Power Wash Your Home’s Exterior
Not only do warm temperatures make it more comfortable for you to break out the power washer, doing it on a sunny day ensures your home’s exterior will dry completely. That can eliminate any lingering moisture that might lead to mildew or mold.
Kyshawn’s tip: Be sure you know the material covering your home, so you’re using the correct pressure when power washing.
When it comes to cleaning your windows, a bright, sunny day can literally illuminate any stuck on gunk.
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Kyshawn’s tip: Go ahead and clean those windowsills. Dust and pollen can build up in that area. Try using a combo of vinegar and water to get them clean. A couple drops of peppermint essential oil can also help keep bugs away.
Fill And Fix Outdoor Cracks
Before the cooler temperatures of fall and winter creep in, you should repair any cracks or holes in your driveway, sidewalks, walkways or concrete steps.
In the colder months those crevices can expand, making them a hazard.
Wash And ‘Season’ Outdoor Trash Bins
This is one many of us probably overlook, but if you don’t want a face full of funky smells every time you put out the trash, you need to wash those bins.
Summer is a great time to tackle this smelly task because you can leave the bins (or cans) open, so they can dry completely.
Kyshawn also suggests “seasonsing” the bins, “You just add some cayenne pepper into a clean trash bin and the strong scent of the cayenne will repel critters. I also like to throw little drops of peppermint oil, eucalyptus essential oils down there.”
Clear Your Gutters
Cleaning out your roof gutters is critical before fall leaves start descending from trees around your home. Kyshawn says, “ You want to make sure that those gutters are not clogged, because a clogged gutter can not only impact your foundation, but your roof.”
Prep Your Landscape For The Next Season
The end of summer and early fall is a perfect time to start laying down grass seed on your lawn. It can also be a good time to aerate your lawn to make sure that grass seed has the best chance to germinate.
Kyshawn suggests waiting until temperatures are consistently around 70 degrees, so that your soil has regained some moisture and isn’t dried out from the summer heat.
He says it’s also a good time to plant those perennials you want to enjoy through fall.
With hurricane season ramping up, you’ll also want to trim back trees and get rid of any limbs that can become missiles during a storm.
Replace Or Repair Weather Stripping
Check around your windows and doors to see if the weather stripping is dry, cracked or missing. Once you turn on the heat in the colder months Kyshawn says, “We want to make sure that it’s efficient and staying indoors and not escaping through the outdoors and costing us more money to heat our homes.”