The Front Porch - Spring Cleaning Update

"Real Me" at Meaningful Days is hosting a Spring Cleaning Challenge that I am participating in. Last week I cleaned the dining room and guest bath. This week I will be cleaning our front porch.

The front porch is an important asset to your home and first impressions are important. If the entrance to your home is a mess, then it doesn't matter how organized the inside is, you're still perceived as a "messie". Treat your front porch as an outdoor room and use the same design elements outside as you would use inside the home. It is the first area that people see when they walk up to your house and should be decorated so that it looks comfortable, relaxing and inviting. Remember, the way your front porch looks is a hint to people of how your home may look inside. As you go about your spring cleaning on the inside, don't forget about your porch. Start at the front door. Is there a rug for wiping feet? Is it savable or does it need to be replaced? Remove everything from the porch that you can. Is there a swing? Look at it closely. Are the hinges catching on clothes? Is it a disaster waiting to collapse? A quick turn of the screwdriver can fix that. How about the cushions? Do they need to be washed or replaced? If cleanable, wash them in your bath tub or with a water hose. If they need to be replaced do so by either sewing or buying new ones. Take the screens off the windows. Clean the windows and spray the screens with a water hose. Using a broom, sweep every windowsill & doorframe. Sweep down the outside walls. Look up high-are there cobwebs in the corners? Sweep 'em down! After doing the walls & frames, then you can sweep off the porch itself. Don't forget the steps. Open the front door and sweep off the sill too. Do you need to change the light bulb? Replace screens on wondow. Look around. Do the hedges in front of the porch need trimming? Either put that on your to do list or if you have time, go ahead and get out your clippers & trim them up now. Does the front door need painting? How about its screen? New hardware can make a big difference. What about the mailbox? Does the doorbell work? Write down any fixes and then have hubby help with repairs if you need help. Don't forget to add a few potted plants and flowers to your porch.

There are certain things that we can do to decorate the front porch area of our home. I have found several photos on the internet that may help give you a few ideas to use for your porch.

Thank you for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful evening.