You Should Really Be Doing These Things to Your House Every Summer

Sun's out — and if you did your spring cleaning, there's not much else you need to do to prep for longer, hotter days and warmer nights.

Set the stage for outdoor living.

• Break out the patio furniture. Wash it down if you haven't already. If you have teak, sand and re-stain. Launder any cushion covers
• Spruce up your BBQ: Scrape the grills; spray down the exterior; clear the vent holes
• Refresh your mulch
• Root out standing water — nobody needs West Nile virus
• Inspect — and repair — your sprinklers
• Remove unwanted nests, from hornets to swallows
• Re-up on citronella candles and bug killers

Now that the weather is reliably dry, it's time for touch-ups.

• Touch up any cracked or peeling house paint
• Stain the deck
• Repair and repaint or re-stain fencing

Stay cool, my friends.

• Reset the thermostat — you can save a lot of money just by setting it 2 or 3 degrees warmer than normal
• Better yet, invest in a smart thermostat
• Test the house for air leaks, so your cool air doesn't disappear out a crack in the window
• Rotate your ceiling fan blades to push air down, rather than up
• Consider repotting your houseplants

Marie Kondo: the final frontier.

• Gather all unloved items and prep for a garage sale, or donate

Now that you're got the bare basics done, go and enjoy that sun!