How I Get Our Outdoor Spaces Ready for Summer

Hi Friends!!

As soon as the weather begins to shift and winter’s chill starts to melt away, you can almost always find me completely immersed in a project outdoors. Whether I’m freshening up our porches, pulling garden tools out of storage, or tidying up new flower beds for the season ahead, spring always brings an extra pep to my step. After months spent cozy indoors, stepping outside again feels like opening the door to a whole new chapter. And before summer arrives in full bloom, I’ve learned there’s no better time to start getting our outdoor spaces ready for the months ahead.

Simple Ways to Refresh Your Porch, Patio, and Garden for the Season Ahead

1. Start with a Good Spring Cleaning

Before I bring out the pretty pillows, fresh flowers, or outdoor lanterns to our outdoor spaces, I always start with a good cleaning. I hose down our porches, sweep away months of sand and winter debris, and pull our outdoor furniture out of storage for a good cleaning.

Everything gets refreshed to welcome the new season, including something as simple as a fresh welcome mat at the front door.

Those first 60-degree days have us all eager to sit outside again, so now is the perfect time to get everything ready.

Tip: If you live somewhere with a heavy pollen season (hello, fellow New Englanders), I usually wait until after pollen season to bring out extra cushions and throw pillows—unless they’re easy to hose off.

2. Refresh Your Outdoor Living Space

Once everything is clean, I start thinking about how we’ll actually live outside during the warmer months.

This is when I:

Bring out porch pillows and lighter throw blankets
Set out lanterns, planters, and seasonal décor
Create little conversation areas with seating
Add fresh herbs or potted flowers nearby
Restyle tables with simple outdoor accessories

Your outdoor spaces don’t need to be elaborate to feel inviting. Sometimes a bouquet of tulips, a cozy chair, and a warm afternoon breeze are all you need.

3. Get Your Garden Tools Ready for the Season

Before garden season officially begins, I like to take inventory of all our tools.

There’s nothing worse than being ready to plant and realizing your pruners are dull or your wheelbarrow tire is flat.

A few things I always check:

Sharpen pruners and garden shears
Clean and organize hand tools
Check wheelbarrow tire pressure
Refill potting soil and seed trays
Set up my potting station
Organize garden gloves, twine, and markers

If you’re planning a vegetable garden, flower cutting garden, or even a few container arrangements, this little bit of prep goes a long way.

4. Clear the Clutter Before Summer Arrives

I’ve found that spring cleaning doesn’t stop at porches and patios.

I like to take the momentum of the season and carry it indoors—going through closets, drawers, and all those little spaces where clutter tends to collect during winter. As I put away any remaining items that were left out from winter, I take a moment to evaluate what we still use, and the items we no longer need.

Now is the time I:

Sort through clothing that no longer fits
Create a donate pile
Pack away winter gear
Swap heavier blankets for lighter throws
Refresh our home with seasonal pillows and florals

It always feels so good to step into summer with less clutter and more room to breathe.

5. Make Room for Meaning This Season

As much as I love a good project list, I’ve learned not to let the chores overshadow the beauty of the season itself. I have to be intentional with my time, otherwise it will pass by in a blur.

Spring offers us a reminder to slow down, step outside, and soak up all the beauty that’s been waiting just beyond the door.

The fresh spring air on a morning walk. Lunch on the porch for the first time, soaking in the sun. The sound of birdsong filling the air. Bare feet in the grass for the very first time. There are so many “first” signs of spring that I love to look for and then stop to savor, as a simple act that ensures this season won’t rush by.

To make this season feel meaningful, choose three simple things to enjoy with family or a friend.

Maybe it’s:

Visiting a local greenhouse
Hosting brunch on the porch
Planting an herb garden
Taking a scenic drive to see spring blooms
Discovering a new flower to grow