by Olivia Gregory

Created on: March 09, 2010   Last Updated: March 10, 2010

Adding curb appeal to your home is a valuable investment of time and energy, whether you are trying to sell your house or simply beautify its exterior. Following are some quick steps to upgrading the external image of your home.

* Be sure to remove all clutter from the yard and driveway. This goes a long way towards making a difference in the appearance of your front yard. Toys, bikes, yard equipment, or trash will certainly detract from the presentation of your home.

* Put the cars in the garage, if possible, and close the garage door. An open driveway adds more space and creates the perception of a bigger yard.

* Consider renting or buying a pressure washer to clean the exterior of your home. The results may not be visible from the road, but they certainly will be to anyone who approaches your house.

* Sweep any walkways and porches clean, remembering to pull down any cobwebs that have formed. Take down light fixtures and clean thoroughly to remove grime and dead bugs.

* Replace torn or missing screens as needed. This may not seem like a big deal, but to someone viewing your house from the road, a missing screen definitely stands out.

* Keep trash cans out of sight. No one wants to pull up and see last night's pizza boxes stacked along the side of the house.

* Remember to consider not only visual aspects of your home's exterior, but also sounds and smells as well. Does the dog bark constantly? Did you remove the dog mess from the grass? The things people hear and smell also play a part in the overall impression they get from your home.

* Open your blinds and clean the windows: this gives the impression of an inviting home and takes very little time to accomplish.

* Plant flowers to add color in the yard. Placing flowers in clusters around the yard will give you the most bang for your buck. Small shrubs could also be included along the walkway leading to the door.

* Place some type of seating on the front porch, if you have one. A rocking chair always adds a nice touch, but you could also use a bench or hammock depending on how much space you have.

* Add a pretty welcome mat by the front door that is easy to keep clean: it would be better to have no mat at all than one that is dirty and torn.

* Use solar lanterns around the walkway or on porch areas to add light and beauty. These can be purchased inexpensively at home improvement stores.

With a little work, the front of your home can be improved in a very short amount of time, and you will reap the benefits every time you pull into the driveway!

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