You can tackle these home improvement projects this weekend

If you have ever looked into a small home improvement project – refinishing kitchen cabinets, for example – you were probably pretty shocked at how much it would run you. (If you haven’t looked, we’ll save you the trouble: It’s about $2,500).

Owning a home is great, but even things that don’t seem like major endeavors can cost you quite a bit. Fortunately, there are ways to improve your home that won’t cost you an arm and a leg, especially if you focus on the exterior.

Add some color

Forget painting your house; there’s something much quicker – and cheaper – you can do. Planting colorful flowers will immediately give your home a brighter and more cheerful appearance.

Rain lilies, periwinkles, and Cassandras are great choices, and they all thrive in Florida. Lavender is another plant that provides a spark of color, and an added bonus is that many bugs don’t like the aroma it gives off.

Improve your flower beds

Now that you’ve decided to bring in some bold new blooms, you should surround them with something better than grass. Mulch is a good option because it provides fertilizer and prevents weeds from growing. It also adds a nice smell to the yard. Crushed stone is another great choice and – unlike mulch – it never needs to be replaced.

Create a mobile garden

Even if you never feel like putting on gardener’s kneepads, you can still have lush and beautiful landscaping. You can accomplish this by picking up several ceramic pots in various shapes and sizes and then finding matching plants. These can then be placed anywhere you like around your yard, for as long as you’d like.

Think about a rain barrel

No matter if they’re in pots or the ground, your plants and flowers – and grass, trees, etc. – require water. And the hotter and drier it gets, the more you have to give them. Instead of just having to turn the facet on every time they need a drink, a rain barrel offers a nice alternative.

This is good for both the environment and your wallet. And if you’re concerned that a barrel might be an eyesore, there are many ways to hide them or decorate them to accent your landscaping. And fortunately, most rain barrels are designed to prevent mosquitos from laying their eggs in the standing water.

Consider gravel

Chances are you have a walkway, path, patio, or other stone feature that’s seen better days. There is probably some discoloration and more than a few cracks (with weeds or grass poking out, most likely.) But instead of bringing in new stones or repaving, consider replacing with gravel. This is a much more affordable choice, plus, if you’re concerned about security, you’ll always be able to hear someone walking on it.

Ditch the grass

Tired of spending large chunks of your free time mowing, weed whacking, fertilizing, and everything else your lawn demands of you? Put an end to it.

It may sound odd, but many homeowners are replacing their grass with artificial turf. And sure, the upfront costs can be high, but if you think about all of the money you spend taking care of your lawn, it may be worth it, particularly if you have kids or pets.

Of course, now that you’ve got a gorgeous new yard, you’ll want to spend more time in it. So, the final thing you should think about is a way to control mosquitos and other biting insects. This is where Platinum Mosquito Protection comes in.

We can install a misting system that works automatically to keep those annoying bugs away from your property. Want to learn more about our systems? Contact us for a free onsite consultation.