The arrival of spring is one of the most exciting times of the year. Finally, you can enjoy time that isn’t just indoors. You probably feel energized and want to jump into the spring cleaning, and while spring cleaning is good to do away with all the indoor buildup that happened over the winter, don’t forget, the outdoors needs some attention, too.

Here’s where to start outside your home in preparation for summer.

1. The Patio

Your porch and patio are probably covered in dead leaves, plants, limbs, and everything else winter had at its disposal to throw at it. A good sweeping and spraying will get rid of the debris, but also keep an eye out for anything that took a beating and may need to be in repair. If any lawn furniture or coverings are in tatters, replace them. You can even find pergola replacement fabric to provide some fresh color.

2. The Gutters

Your gutters should be cleaned out twice a year. If you’re a DIY type person, there’s no reason you can’t get a ladder and clean them yourself. Otherwise, hire someone to get your drains cleared so the buildup doesn’t weigh them down and damage your exterior.

3. The Gardens

Your flower beds need to be prepared for any new plants or existing plants that will need nutrients in the soil to provide for their growth. In addition to fertilizer, you can pretreat for weeds and go ahead and lay down some mulch.

4. The Lawn

If you want a perfectly green lawn this summer, now is the time to lay down the seed that will push out the undesirable weeds and crabgrass.

When you look at it as a whole, spring cleaning your yard just may not be as bad as spring cleaning the inside of your house. Once it’s done, simply kick back and watch as winter turns to green.