They say first impressions leave a major impact on a person's mind. Consider a family member visiting from out of state or a friend you haven't seen since high school, riding up Ash Street searching for your address. As they slowly pull up, squinting to read the house numbers, they catch a glimpse of a beautifully landscaped front yard with red blooming geraniums, a cute gnome statue and neatly pruned, mid-sized bushes adorning the garden surrounding a porch. To their surprise and delight, that yard belongs to you!
How proud would you be as they walk up the walkway, commenting on how lovely the place looks before they even step inside.
Now consider their first look to be a wild mess of weeds, overgrown bushes and dead plants strewn haphazardly around the yard with no clear rhyme or reason.
Which would you rather be their first impression? Right! We figured you'd choose the first! Explore the following 5 tips to help improve curb appeal with little effort on a modest budget! Remember, if you plan to dig more than 6 inches or place a large piece of landscaping that will greatly alter your yard, you must complete an Improvement Proposal Form first to get permission from management before you begin.
Let's get started!
1. Clean Up That Junk!
Crowded yards can make a bad impression quickly. Having toys, yard care equipment, hoses and bikes laying around give a cluttered look. Instead, opt to donate what you don't use anymore, trash anything broken and get storage for the rest. Stack bikes neatly in a row or better yet, store them in your cooperative basement. Members can easily improve their home's curb appeal just by clearing out junk and straightening up what's left. Simple and zero cost to you!
2. Pull Weeds and Dead Plants
Dead plants and overgrown weeds make a yard look like no one cares about it. *sadface* Show the world you DO care by pulling up any dead vegetation. Make sure you discard it in those specialized yard waste bags for organic recycling.
3. Trim Your Bushes
Trimming your bushes is a great way to improve your housing cooperative's curb appeal easily. Neatly pruned bushes give an outdoor space a sense of order and cleanliness. All you need are some simple tools: hand-held pruners (for the little twigs) and loppers (for thicker branches). Get started by removing all dead or diseased branches, then step back to see the overall shape of the bush or hedge. Trim the branches either from the base of the main trunk to remove a large section of shrub or trim from the outside of the shrub, as though you are giving the bush a haircut. Once you feel you've given it your all, stand back and take a final glance.
4. Plant Fresh Flowers
Perennial plants are great because they come back year after year. They tend to grow well on their own, establishing a root system early on and requiring little to no effort in future years, but they can be rather drab consisting mostly of green foliage. Annual plants, on the other hand, tend to be the more flashy, bright, flowery plants that last throughout the summer, but die off in the winter. They do require replanting every year, but if you save the seeds from last years flowers, you can plant from seed this year. Regardless of which variety you choose, plant them neatly, in a thoughtful design. While the design doesn't have to be intricate, having an idea of layout will help the overall look of the garden appear "put-together".
5. Use Adornments But Don't Overuse Adornments
A few adornments can really liven up your Ash Street Co-op garden: a little wind-chime here, a yard gnome over there; a bird feeder over here. With that said, having too many can lead to looking crowded and messy. Stick to just a few and let them shine!
That's it! Use these 5 tips to improve the curb appeal of your Ash Street Housing Cooperative home and enjoy the pride of having the most beautiful home on the block!
Are you interested in owning your own home without the headaches of having to repair everything? You've come to the right place! Ash Street Cooperative in the perfect balance between home-ownership and renting. Learn about cooperative living here or contact us with any questions.