With spring cleaning done and gone, summer is making its way here. Summer brings longer days and warmer nights! This promotes more opportunities for friendly gatherings on the deck, patio or on the beach alongside a cold beverage in hand and a backyard barbeque. Before you start heating up the grill, you'll need to pull out those seasonal items out of storage and prepare them for use.

Clean the Grill

Your grill has been through a lot these past few months. Depending on your location and if you put it in storage, the grill experienced rain, wind and snow. Give your grill a test run to make sure it is functioning properly and safe for use. Inspect the hoses for any cracks or damage, if it seems compromised in anyway, replace it as soon as possible. Examine the burners and gas tubes to make sure rust or spider webs haven't ruined it. Go the extra mile and scrub the metal grates to get rid of the old burnt residue to make it brand new.

Clean Patio Furniture

Similar to your grill, patio furniture has probably been sitting in storage all winter. Get a bucket of warm water with dish liquid soap to wash it down. To make the process easier, use a hose to water the separate pieces before washing it with your soapy mixture.

Touch Up the Outdoor Space

The winter has been rough for many of our readers. Your deck may need a bit of help to recover from the wind and snow. With a few hours spent working on the deck each weekend, it can be fully fit for your summer celebrations in less than a month. Try repainting the deck or replacing a broken step.

Remember, it doesn't require a lot of time or money to fix up your patio and get it ready for the summer season. It is quite simple and can be a fun family activity!