Memorial Day is known as the kickoff of summer fun. Campgrounds, amusement parks and beaches all typically mark the long weekend as their season’s opening. If you find yourself staying home during Memorial Day weekend, there’s another thing the holiday weekend is known to kickoff which might be more to your liking: The unofficial start of the home improvement season!

The long weekend can be an opportunity to fix those nagging little problems that have been at the back of your mind, just waiting for a nice day to get started. Got a leaky outdoor faucet? Need to bring the hose and lawn furniture out? Want to seal your driveway?

You could use the first half of the weekend to set up the yard for Memorial Day entertaining. Take the time early so you can plan your first bar-b-que of the year. There are traditionally a lot of sales on all of the right outdoor entertaining supplies during May.

Some things that may need your attention before the big weekend are:

• Is your deck ready for company? Maybe it just needs a good cleaning or even a pressure wash. If you think your deck needs more attention than that, a new coat of sealer will have it looking new for your big day.
• Do you have any outdoor lighting? Some well-placed fixtures whether free standing or strung along your deck can create just the mood you’re looking for.
• Fire pits are becoming more and more popular. You can choose from an all-in-one unit suitable for decks, or make it a fun weekend project to build one in your yard.
• Consider installing outdoor speakers. There are both wireless and wired options available. If you’re able to get by with just an mp3 player as your jukebox, you can even invest in higher quality speakers since no other expensive audio equipment is needed!
• Put the final touches on your entertainment area with some flowerbeds or potted plants. Building a couple flower boxes for your deck is a quick and fun weekend project. Not looking for more flowers? Your boxes can also be an easily accessible way to keep an herb garden right next to your grill!

If you don’t plan on entertaining (with all of these bar-b-que’s, someone has to be a guest), this is a perfect weekend to break ground for that new project you’ve wanted to get underway. Tear down that old shed, dig up an old garden, measure and put in stakes for a new fence.

Memorial Day is a time to look forward to the rest of the summer. The projects you finish now can be enjoyed all throughout the season. Plan on moving before the year is out? A few projects will protect your investment and make your life more enjoyable now and selling your home even easier.

No matter what your plans are for the big weekend, stop in and we’ll be happy to help you find what you need for entertaining, finishing up that small job, or kicking off your next big project!