Generally speaking, people think of spring as the time to clean and enhance the appearance of their homes’ exteriors. While this is true, autumn—with its vibrant hues and eye-catching plants—can also be a great time to think about sprucing up your home to increase its curb appeal.

Best of all, it doesn’t need to be costly or time-consuming. In fact, much of it can be done quite reasonably if you have the proper tools. Whether you are going for a fresh look for your own satisfaction or are planning to sell your home soon, there are several ways you can bring new life to your home’s exterior this season.

Landscaping

Replace dead plants and shrubbery
If you have plants and shrubs that have lost their summer blooms, this is the perfect time to prune those overgrown areas and replace them with new plants and flowers in fun fall colors.

Remove weeds
Out-of-control weeds can give your house an unmanicured look. You can easily remedy this by removing them with weed-removal tools and then adding a fresh layer of mulch to your garden beds, steps that will not only make a world of difference to your home’s appearance but also prepare your garden for the cooler months ahead.

Maintain your lawn and trees
Falling leaves look pretty, but they can also suffocate your lawn. Make sure you continue to mow your lawn during autumn, but you can likely do so less frequently and at a lower height as the weather gets colder and grass grows slower. (As a bonus, mulching leaves with your mower will feed your lawn.) Also, neatness counts: neatly edging your lawn and trimming any overhanging trees will make a world of difference to your home’s overall curb appeal.

Home exterior

Pressure-wash 

You may be surprised to see what a pressure-washing can do to clean up your home’s curb appeal, as it can easily remove summer’s unwanted grime, dirt, and mold from your driveway, sidewalks, siding, and roof. If you don’t want to pay someone to do this, you can rent or purchase a pressure washer at most hardware stores.

Clean out your gutters
Falling leaves need to land somewhere, and a prime spot is in your gutters. Remove leaves and other debris from these trenches so that water can properly drain from your roof rather than overflowing toward your foundation. However, it may be best to hire someone to do this to avoid potential ladder injuries.

Beautify your front door
Be sure your front entrance area is free of dirt and grime to provide a welcoming vibe to any guests or potential buyers. It may also be a good time to refresh your front door with a new paint color that complements the rest of your house. If your front door is stained with a varnish or lacquer, you can put on a fresh coat to bring it back to its original color.

Complete minor repairs or touch-ups
Inspect the exterior of your home, and repair, replace, or touch up items such as chipped paint, broken pavers, screens, gutters, downspouts, broken railings, shutters, or fencing. Consider a seasonal upgrade for your mailbox and welcome mat as well.

Regardless of whether you are aiming to sell your home this fall or fulfilling your own sense of seasonal enjoyment, improving your curb appeal can provide big benefits with little cost.