5 Things You Should Do Every Year When The Weather Gets Nice

No matter how mild the winter, spring always brings a welcome improvement to the weather. Before you know it, areas that were, just weeks earlier, covered in snow and barren trees are full of lush greenery and flora.
Though we humans don’t hibernate throughout the cold months of the year, many of us use winter as a sort of “downtime,” during which we stay indoors as much as possible. When spring arrives, we emerge from our warm nests, ready to finally enjoy our surroundings yet again.
The following is a list of ways in which you can maximize your enjoyment of nature during the season when the Earth regains its liveliness.

Prepare Your Yard

You most likely don’t take much care of your yard during the cold, wet, winter months — and that’s fine. But when the spring rolls around, you’ll need to do some work to make it look presentable again.
If you didn’t rake your lawn before the last snowfall of the year, you’ll be stuck with a bunch of unsightly leaves that never ended up decomposing. While a lawn full of leaves probably didn’t stand out in November, it certainly will in April and May. Take care of them as soon as possible.
If need be, plant grass seed throughout your lawn to patch up any areas that need it. Remove any weeds, sticks, and brambles from your garden, and replant annuals as needed.
Finally, break out the grill, hammock, and anything else you know you’ll be using throughout the spring and summer months. It might not be warm enough to use them right away, but you’ll be prepared to do so when the sun finally peeks out.

Prepare Your Home

Everyone knows about spring cleaning, right?
As mentioned above, you may have gone through a period of downtime throughout the winter months, during which you might have allowed your home to get a little, well, messy.
Take some time to dust off surfaces, clean out closets, and air the rest of your home out. Just getting some fresh air circulating throughout your house can improve your health and elevate your mood.
As you move things around to dust and sweep, you might realize you have a ton of miscellaneous items around the house that you never really use. Instead of tossing them back into the closet to collect even more dust, consider having a yard sale. You’ll end up with a little extra change in your pocket as well as some extra space in your home.

Have BBQs and Picnics

The first day that the weather is nice enough to eat outside is always a cause for celebration. There’s just something about eating outside that makes certain foods taste better.
Whether you’re having a small party with friends and family or a nice quiet lunch with your loved one, you’ll have a to do a bit of preparation. Make sure you have all the utensils and cutlery you need to cook and eat your delicious meal, as well as napkins or paper towels to clean up afterward.
Also, make sure you have some citronella candles and bug spray handy. Nothing ruins a potato salad quite like a swarm of mosquitos.
Lastly, bring some warm clothes just in case it gets a little chilly. It might be 85 degrees in the sun, but if clouds start to roll in, the temperature can drop quickly.

Get Up and Out

Obviously, the springtime is a great time to enjoy some outdoor activities. You wouldn’t play baseball in the house, would you?
Even if you don’t need to be outside to partake in an activity, you should still get up and get out. Take your laptop or book outside instead of staying cooped up in the house all day. Bring your guitar outside and let the neighborhood hear you as you practice. Paint a picture of your surroundings or take photographs of the blooming flowers.
We simply weren’t meant to spend our life inside. Get out and enjoy yourself.

Get Dirty

Just as we weren’t meant to stick around indoors all our lives, we also weren’t meant to be pristinely clean all the time, either.
Most of the items on this list require you to forget all about cleanliness, at least for a short period of time. Don’t be afraid to get dirty and not care about how ridiculous you look.
Throw on an old pair of jeans and start a garden. Play catch with your nephew. Eat with your fingers and wipe it on your shirt.
The spring is not only a time of rebirth, but it’s also the perfect time to forget all your worries for a little while and remember what it was like to be as carefree as a kid. Don’t let it slip away.
Featured photo credit: Declan Rex via unsplash.com