Easy Ways to Make My Front Yard Look Good

Tidy it Up

• Even with no budget, you can make your yard more attractive by tidying it up. Use a wheelbarrow or rolling trash can to collect debris. Sort through it later to separate recyclable items from things to burn or compost. Pull weeds in flower beds and around shrubs, then remove untidy or dead tree and shrub branches and add them to the container. Cut the grass with a mulching lawnmower to reduce leaf and grass raking and to fertilize the lawn naturally.

Keep it Clean

• Deep cleaning hard surfaces makes everything appear fresh. Use a pressure washer to clean concrete, brick, stone and some types of siding such as vinyl or aluminum, but avoid painted wood because it can remove the paint. If you have a painted front porch, clean it with a mild solution of detergent and warm water in a bucket, using a broom as a scrub brush. Rinse it with a garden hose. Clean windows, outdoor furniture and the front door.

Landscape

• Remove unhealthy plants and choose new ones that are suited to your area to reduce maintenance. Evergreen shrubs provide year-round color and create a living framework for the yard, explains the website Fine Gardening. Low-maintenance perennials return every spring and are easier to care for than annuals. Annuals, which die in cold weather, are best as colorful accents. Balance is important, so keep larger plants behind smaller ones to give each their chance to shine. Repair brown spots in the grass by raking the dirt, scattering grass seed and covering it with compost, suggests the website This Old House.

Use Mulch

• Mulch insulates the soil to hold moisture, protects against freezing, inhibits weeds and makes the whole yard look tidier. When mulching around plants and trees, leave a small amount of space between the mulch and stems or trunks to help prevent rot and fungus growth, says the website Trees Are Good. Add a decorative border of brick, stone or other landscaping material around the mulch to keep it contained.

Finishing Touches

• A pristine yard is more appealing when the front porch or entry is staged in an inviting way. Flank both sides of the doorway with twin potted plants or trees and add a new doormat. If space allows, rearrange outdoor furniture to encourage socializing. New cushions liven up old chairs, and an outdoor-safe rug under the seating arrangement completes the space.

Maintain

• Just as you regularly vacuum and wash dishes, so should you maintain your yard. Pull weeds as they surface, and don't let grass get too high. Use a weed trimmer along the sidewalk and driveway to keep edges neat. Tending to small jobs as they arise keeps everything looking good and only requires small amounts of time.