O: Outside

It' almost summertime, unless you're living in the southern hemisphere.

On this side of the globe, we're ready to be done with snow and cold and enjoy some sunshine.

Relaxation is just a few prep steps away.

Got some garden gnomes going gray? 

Don't toss them. give them a good scrub and a fresh coat of paint. The small paint brushes in the craft aisle are the perfect size for the smaller details.

Coat with polyurethane for a longer lasting finish.

 Prep that deck!

Give your deck a good scrub at the beginning of the season. A bucket of warm water filled with dish soap and a cup of vinegar will clean the wood without damaging it. (Never use bleach, which will rot the wood.)

Mop it on the whole surface and then spray it all down with the water hose.


Outdoor furniture fit to sit on?

Give outdoor furniture new life with fresh paint. Even cheap plastic lawn chairs can be spray painted. Scrub off the excess dirt, rinse, and spray. For plastic lawn chairs, you can get spray paint made especially for plastic. It works great.

 Give your siding a scrub.

The exterior walls of your house can grow mildew and collect dirt. Once again, the mop and a bucket of dish soap and vinegar does the trick. Mop it on, spray it off.

Windows need to be grime free to enjoy the sunshine.

To get my sills clean after a long winter, I stick with the dish soap and vinegar. To add sparkle to the glass once the dirt is washed away, I like to get window cleaner from the automotive aisle. It seems to streak less and sparkle faster.

Now that your space is cleaned up, it's time to grab a good book, a glass of lemonade, and relax.

This has been your A-Z post for the letter O