Let’s spring clean!

The weather is quickly getting warmer and outside entertaining has already begun for us in Las Vegas. But, for most people in the country the weather is perfect for spring cleaning your backyard and getting it ready for the first party of the year.

My husband and I love to have friends and family over all year round and enjoy our backyard. Sometimes we have friends over for a simple dessert night instead of making a big dinner. It is easy and fun to get everyone together and enjoy the spring and summer evenings.

Every March we start by sprucing up the backyard. Here’s how we like to spring clean!

Clean up shrubs and trees

First we pick up all the dead leaves and branches in the front and backyard.

We trim all the shrubs and trees so that the green will start to appear as soon as possible.

Empty all the dead planter pots around the yard and start the spring off with fresh fruit trees or flowers.

My children love to help clean up the back yard, especially if I make them some lemonade after their chores.

Clean off your patio and furniture.

We always spray the patio and wash the chairs. Getting bird poop off is no fun, but it is a must. No one wants to be wearing a new summer dress and get it dirty from an unclean chair.

We also sweep off the patio after cleaning to remove any thorns or pesky bugs.

I use the hose and dish soap to clean off the patio and chairs.

Now it’s time for the fun part!

Decor

A good spring clean isn’t complete without some cute decor! Decorating your backyard with plants, flowers, colorful table clothes and furniture is the best part.

I love succulents and they are super easy to keep alive. I water mine 1-2 times a week in the summer.

I got this gold pot at Anthropologie for under $15. I also LOVE the options here!

Music

I am obsessed with my record player from Urban Outfitters. It was a Christmas present from my husband but I know it was under $100. They come in several colors. You can find cute ones on Amazon like this one!

My Mom and Dad have a lot of vinyl records and shared a few with me. As a child we would dance around the record player late into the night singing as loud as possible. I want my children to love music as much as I do. I found a great record store in Vegas that has been around for 25 years and sales new and used vinyls. My latest finds were Johnny Cash, Van Morrison and ABBA. My kids love listening to the records outside. Music on summer evenings is everything.

Flowers

I love flowers. They can brighten any occasion and are not that expensive if you buy them at a farmers market or Trader Joes.

Candles

You can buy citronella candles to keep annoying bugs away.

The glass candle holders can hang in a tree or be used for table decor. I got them at World Market for under $7. The Small ones were $3. The table cloth was also from World Market on clearance.

Lighting

Hanging the lights is my husbands job. Sometimes I have to keep an eye on him because he wants to be like Clark Grizwald and hang a million lights. I like the big bulbs. You can get them anywhere: Target, World Market, Walmart etc.

Let’s get the spring cleaning party started!

We decided to have a big Easter party this year and get all of our friends together to enjoy this beautiful time of year. We had such an amazing evening and everyone helped with the food. I normally don’t ask my friends to bring food but because they all offered to help, I let them. I have to admit it made it less stressful and I had more time to decorate.

The best part of the evening is when everyone has had enough food and it is time to sit and enjoy each others company.