Take a good hard look–what message is the exterior of your home sending? Does it say “We are proud of our home and we welcome you” or does it say”We do not have time to take care of things outside so who knows what the interior looks like”?
The exterior and entry of your home is the first space visitors see when they visit. What would you rather they see?
- Scuffed paint on the front door, windowsills and siding
- A dirty and crooked doormat
- Filthy porch lights
- Dead plants
Or:
- A fresh paint job
- A welcoming doormat lined up with the door
- Clean and sparkling porch lights
- Fresh and alive plants
If you chose the first list this blog post will not be helpful. However, if you chose the second list it is now time to step outdoors and take a look at your home with a critical eye. If you are falling short in any area it is time to make a trip to your local home improvement store to pick up some paint and flowers and get busy.
- Hopefully, an entire house painting job is not needed. But step out of your comfort box and paint that front door in a new color that appeals to you and compliments your home’s exterior color. Sophisticated gray, bold yellow, luscious green, your favorite shade of green or the perennially popular red will create a welcoming greeting.
- One of my pet peeves is a crooked doormat. The purpose of a doormat is to catch dirt before it enters your home. How can it do it’s job if it is lying somewhere near the front door? Please keep it lined up and in its proper place. And if it is beginning to look a little “hairy” due to weather and wear and tear, now is the time to find a new one.
- Remove all the spider webs and gunk on those porch lights with the hose. Another pet peeve of mine (yes, I have a ton of them) is when the bulbs in porch lights do not match. One might be the new squiggly bulbs while the other one might still have a standard incandescent bulb. So replace the bulbs and enjoy the new sparkle and shine.
- Is there anything more unattractive or unwelcoming than an old pot with a dead plant? I don’t like to look at that so I assume neither do visitors to my home. If you can’t plant new ones right away at least get rid of the offensive one until you can. And, for goodness sake, take them out of the black plastic pot and place them in an attractive holder that coordinates with your overall color scheme.
- Add some personality. Whether you hang a fun door knocker that represents your favorite hobby or a chic monogram or (heaven forbid) group your favorite gnomes on the stoop, personal items will set your home apart from your neighbors.
Remember, you only have one opportunity to make a good first impression and that is what your exterior entry does—creates a first impression of you and your home.
