Get your home and garden ready for summer 2023 with these tips

ready for the summer
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Summer is finally here (hurrah!) and now is the time to think about getting your home and garden ready for the summer. But what to do and where to start? Here we’ve teamed up with DW Windows –  who have been offering windows, doors, conservatories and other home improvements across the West Midlands for over 14 years – to give you some ideas. But first….

About DW Windows

If you’re looking to have a bi-fold door installed or replace your windows this summer then look no further than DW Windows which can help you with both. Beautiful bi-fold doors are a great addition to all homes, fusing your home and garden together elegantly and seamlessly, plus a fantastic way of letting lots of light and fresh air in. Meanwhile, summer is the best time to replace your windows (no sitting around freezing while the old ones are out and the new ones are being put in). Plus with the cost of living crisis, they will help you attain improved energy efficiency and save money on your bills, not to mention the fact that they provide better home security – double glazing is virtually burglar-proof!

You can contact DW Windows to discuss your upcoming home improvement projects to receive advice and support as well as a free quotation here.

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Brilliant ways to get your home and garden ready for the summer

Have a good tidy up

The warmer months are a perfect time to have a good old clean-up both in and outside the house. It’s time to dust off the patio seat cover.

In the house:

  • Do a big decluttering sweep and either store or give away that which you no longer use.
  • Deep clean EVERYTHING – all the nooks and crannies and the places that we forget to clean. This is a great time of year to clean your carpets too.
  • Clean the outside and inside of the windows. You’ll want them to sparkle in the sunlight!
  • Put away old heavy duvets and throws and replace them with lighter ones.
  • Consider switching up soft furnishings. I love to change up my lounge cushions to something more vibrant during the summer months.
  • Make sure you know where any portable fans are located and give them a good clean ready for deployment.
ready for the summer
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In the garden:

  • Clean up your patio or decking with a good old jetwashing.
  • Tidy up your borders, get rid of weeds, old leaves, and muck, and fill up any gaps with some plug-in plants.
  • Give your fences and shed a new lick of wood preservation if they need it.
  • Have a militant clean of your BBQ – it probably needs a jolly good one ready for BBQ season.
  • Decorate with space with hanging baskets and fairy lights.
  • Take literally everything out of the shed and have a big sort through/reorganize/clear out.

Run with a home improvement idea

Summer is the perfect time to choose and run with a home improvement idea. Think of projects that will really improve the joy factor of your property over the summer months. Some great ideas that will help to get your home and garden ready for the summer include:

  • Extending your space by installing beautiful bi-fold doors, the perfect additional entryway and a great way to allow more air and light into your home.
  • Making the most of natural light and replacing windows with energy-efficient, high-quality modern double glazing.
  • Building a pergola and planting a vine to grow over it. Something we did last year and we are enjoying it so much now the weather is improving.
  • Overlaying your kitchen countertops/tiles or bathroom tiles. A perfect little kitchen facelift. No need to replace the whole lot, whatever the tradesmen say.
  • Relandscaping your garden. Consider having a rejig of your soft and hard landscaping and try a new configuration.
  • Installing/replacing decking or a patio. Battered old decking or cracked patio stones do not a happy summer maketh.
  • Painting grubby walls. Now there is more natural light in the house you can really see those dirty fingerprints and smudges.
  • Building an outbuilding/garden room. If you have the room, why not use it?
  • Planting a wildflower garden. We all need more bees and butterflies in our house so go forth and plant!

Of course, there are more practical home improvement ideas that will help you get your home and garden ready for the summer including cleaning/replacing your guttering, replacing your roof, and the like but whether they will provide you with as much joy….well, I will need some convincing on that front!

ready for the summer
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Get geared up for entertaining

As the days get warmer and the nights longer, our minds start to turn to alfresco entertaining again. It’s time to make your home and garden an enticing backdrop for guests. Here are some ways you can get geared up for entertaining:

  • Create an outdoor bar.
  • Install a retractable roof or awning over your patio area.
  • Create an oasis around your outdoor dining area using a combination of potted plants.
  • Invest in some outdoor tableware and accessories and brush up on your tablescaping.
  • Acquire a patio heater and blankets for cooler nights.
  • Install an outdoor kitchen/cooking area if you have the space.

Think outside the box

For a summer of fun, think about quirky ways you can inject some joy into your home and garden. For example, you could:

  • Install a living wall or roof on your shed.
  • Invest in a projector and screen and create an outdoor cinema.
  • Create an outdoor lounge area with a collection of bean bags, a hammock and fairy lights.
  • Create a little gin terrace.
  • Install some sculptures for added interest.
  • Stock up on some giant garden games.

How will you be getting your home and garden ready for the summer? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Photos by Mark McCammon, Maria Ovchinnikova, M&W Studios, Ioana Motoc

11 comments

  1. I’m loving these bi-fold doors! The biggest part of my home that I make sure is summer ready is our back yard and pool area. I live in South Florida and host a lot of pool days so making sure our backyard space is tidy and summer ready is essential!

  2. I am sold on these doors. Nothing says summer than all the sunlight you can get and a good deep cleaning.

  3. I have been sold on those doors. Nothing says happy home better than sunlight pouring into your home and good deep cleaning.

  4. These are all great tips. I did a good clean a few months back but need to do it again alongside some decluttering.

  5. Thanks for your awesome tips! The summer heat is horrendous here in Australia, that’s why we need to prep to keep us cool for the whole season. I love your advice.

  6. This is so helpful! I especially love the outdoor lounge area idea. Some of these I do but I never really noticed until you put it in a list! Saving for later

  7. Oohhh…having read this article, I realise there’s so much to do at home, before the summer season fully kicks in. Thanks for sharing these tips.

  8. Love all of these tips! I have found that decluttering and cleaning makes a huge difference in upgrading the look of a home.

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