Whole House Organization Challenge: Week 14

Well, we finally made it!  It's the 14th and final week of the Whole House Organization Challenge.  Whooo hoo!  If you managed to keep up with the challenge the entire time, congratulations to you.  Take a well-deserved bow.   If not, give yourself a pat on the back as encouragement to do better next time. 

As predicted in this post, the weather in the Chicagoland area proved a bit too iffy to really produce anything blog-worthy about an outdoor cleanup.  But thanks to a few blogger buddies living in warmer climates, I have a bit of inspiration to help you whip your outdoor spaces into shape.  

So let those dull-n-dirty outdoor spaces be brought back to life. Yes!  Let them be... resurrected!  {insert gasps and dramatic music here} 

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Why a Resurrection?

Perhaps you balked when you read the title of this post.   Maybe you even rolled your eyes.  But if you stop to think about the word resurrection, it's really a fitting description of what must take place after the tougher seasons have made their rounds.

Aside from the obvious religious connection, the dictionary also defines the word as such:

res·ur·rect   \ ˌre-zə-ˈrekt \  to bring to view, attention, or use again; to cause (something that had ended or been forgotten or lost) to exist again, to be used again.

Isn't this exactly what happens during Spring?  Grass and flowers peek out, birds return to sing and trees awaken.   It is in this context that we will speak about our home's curb appeal.  

Harsh seasons cab wreck havoc on a home's curb appeal.  The above photo was taken at a home located in sunny Florida.  Even those folks have their share of bad weather.   

STEP 1:

• Clear everything from the space. 

STEP 2:  Clean, Clean, Clean

• Pull the weeds
• Clean out any stray leaves from last fall (or in the case above, any palm tree fronds) 
• Clear the windows and siding of all cobwebs and dust

Don't forget to scrub the concrete.  In fact, power wash it if you can. 

STEP 3: Refresh and Renew
A little bit of paint, and a few bags of mulch go a long way my friends.  You'll also want to give attention to faded cushions and pillows.  Add a new doormat if necessary and of course, lots and lots of green and flowered plants.   Notice how Kenyatta of My Design Rules transformed her front yard with these simple changes. 

But you don't have to stop there.  If you have a covered porch, try adding some comfy pillows, a throw for cool starry nights and a rug.  I'd love to stop by the front porch of  Kendra of Three Bean Circus (see below) to enjoy a sip of lemonade with her there.

You could even consider adding an outdoor herb garden.   Are you a busy parent?  Then you might appreciate a quiet place to sit and enjoy a glass of wine every once in a while. 

As much as I have enjoyed this year's Whole House Organization Challenge, I am anxious to move into Spring and Summer.  There were many successes along the way that I am very proud of.  I'll be sure to recap those in a future post.  

But for now, thank you to those of you who reached out to me on social media, and commented on this little blog of mine.  Blogging can be a lonely journey, but support of you dear readers help keep it exciting.  Stay tuned... I've got lots of other goodies in store for you! 

One more favor may I ask of you?
If you enjoyed this post
Please share, tweet or pin it.
Merci Beaucoup!

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