While we’re just into our second week of fall, Thanksgiving will be here before we know it. Crisp air, leaves falling from the trees, shorter days: little clues that tell us autumn is here. If you will have family and friends visiting for the holiday, welcome them to your home with simple, understated decorations (it’s not Halloween yet). These budget-friendly ideas are designed to give you lots of curb appeal just in time for Thanksgiving.
Get the lawn ready for its close-up.
Mow the lawn two or three days before Thanksgiving.
There are lots of leaves already on the ground. Rake them up.
For a real curb appeal boost, edge the lawn around flowerbeds, the pathway to the front door, or the driveway with inexpensive edging materials such as galvanized wire, bricks, stones, or colourful pavers. It gives your lawn definition by visually separating it from surrounding areas.
Spruce up the landscaping.
As bushes, trees, and shrubs drop their leaves, they can look a little scraggly. Prune trees and trim shrubs and bushes before the Thanksgiving long weekend.
Inspect each shrub, tree, and bush for dead branches and stems and remove them.
Get rid of any weeds left behind in the flowerbeds, by the garage, or around gate and fence posts.
Clean the siding, pathways, and driveway.
You might not notice that the siding, sidewalk, and driveway look a little dingy until you know people are coming over. But even slight smudges on siding, general grime on pathways, and a faded oil stain or two can detract from your curb appeal. Power wash away surface stains to refresh the driveway and walk ways. Clean your siding with a power washer on a low setting when it’s 15 years or older.
Make the windows shine.
Show off your home’s exterior by making the windows sparkle and shine out and in. Once they’re inside, your visitors will appreciate the view (and all that gorgeous fall ambiance).
Light up the night.
Especially if you will be welcoming visitors who have never been to your home before, solar lights along a path or integrated into the landscaping can light up the way, and make it safer for those unfamiliar with your property.
Strings of decorative outdoor lights come in a variety of shapes, colours, and lengths perfect for hanging from the gutters, the front porch, or trees in the front yard.
If you have sconces, lamps, or outside wall lights on either side of your front door, swap the white bulbs for orange, yellow, or red to celebrate the season.
An elegant way to give your home’s exterior a warm, Thanksgiving vibe is to trim the windows with orange and white fairy lights.
Hang a seasonal wreath.
A seasonal wreath on a front door instantly says “Welcome.” Ensure any wreath you select includes harvest colours and different, natural organic materials such as pine cones.
Other places to hang seasonal wreaths are on shutters, siding, porch railings or posts, and the garage door.
To really make your front door pop, select a wreath that, when centred, fills the whole door.
