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.

Stephen Paul

• 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.

Stephen Paul

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

Stay cool, my friends.

Codi Ann Backman

• 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.

Stephen Paul

• 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!