Summer is upon us, which means the time of Christmas parties, barbecues and backyard viewing of The Ashes is coming in hot! But if you’re thinking of throwing a shindig, the first thing you need to be thinking of is making your house and backyard presentable. Noone wants to throw (or attend) a barbecue in a filthy house or yard. An important element of relaxation is the space in which you are in, so if your backyard is home to unwanted furniture, overgrown with plants, grass and weed, and has a cluttered, uncomfortable feel, then it’s time for a yard clean!

Cleaning your backyard sounds simple, but it can be a little overwhelming in practice as there can be a lot to do. Backyards are big places, filled with trees,  bushes and plants, outdoor furniture that you haven’t got around to upgrading, trampolines with holes in them , as well as  kids toys, balls and maybe even pet droppings around the yard. If you want to keep your yard looking sharp, but don’t want to become overwhelmed or worn out in the process, the best way to do so is to identify problem areas, come up with a strategy and then make a list of things to tick off overtime instead of putting the pressure on yourself to do it all at once.

One of the reasons a plan and a list is so important is not only to efficiently work through your chores to prevent burnout, but it also reduces the risk of injury. If you try and do a big cleanup all in one day, the chances of hurting yourself rise dramatically. This can be anything from cuts and bruises, to more serious shoulder or back injuries from heavy lifting, sustained crouching or bending, and the general wear and tear of manual labor, particularly on a body that may or may not be used to it. Make sure you’re well-versed in how to garden safely, before getting stuck in to the heavy lifting.

If you want to entertain guests, you will need more space, so if you’ve got things cramping up the backyard, you will need somewhere to put them. If it’s not something you can throw away, identifying what can be stored and where is an important part of your decision-making.  

When the seasons change, so too do the things that we need. You may need to check your storage area, whether it’s a shed or a spare room, and do some rearranging and swapping around. In summer you can get the surfboard out and back the snowboard away, and other exchanges of that sort. It is also a good idea to figure out what you have in storage, as some extra chairs or devices for shade may come in handy.

The best way to start is to grab a big garbage bag and walk around the yard picking up any rubbish that stands out. This could be a plastic bag, a chewed up tennis ball that your puppy has savaged, or large branches that could get stuck in the lawn mower. This preliminary sweep will set you up for a good sweep, and for further removal and storage to be a little more streamlined.

Once the more visible rubbish is gone, you can start sweeping up. It is amazing what can blow into your backyard or what your kids can drop. A simple sweep could come up with not only leaves, shrubbery and weeds, but childrens toys, plastic bags, lollipop sticks and chocolate wrappers. You name it, a sweep will find it. 

Also, just a reminder not to forget the front yard. You don’t want to do all the hard work removing the backyard rubbish only to leave the front of the property a mess and chota-bloc with debris and other waste.

The first thing you need to do is remove anything that is clogging up the backyard that is unnecessary. Perhaps you have broken or weathered furniture, an old ping pong table that has seen better days, or perhaps your yard has many trees which have dropped some large branches. Whatever it is, if it has no place being in your yard anymore and is merely taking up space, do a big sweep and put it all in the bin. If there is too much to go in your recycling bins or green waste bins, you can always get the excess residential rubbish removed by a specialist. Some garbage collectors only come once a fortnight, which might be too long a wait.

Now that everything that isn’t meant to be there is gone, you can start worrying about where to put the things that are meant to be there. This can include anything from children’s toys to shovels or tools that are lying around. To make your backyard look more clean and tidy, get anything that is lying around into storage, whether that be a shed, a spare room or back into your children’s room or your dog’s kennel where they belong.

When you’ve finished moving everything to where it’s meant to be, you can start cleaning. This can include a hose down off the deck, some scrubbing of the table and chairs with wood-friendly cleaners, and an obligatory wipe-down of the barbecue (it’s likely been a few months since you’ve used it). Also, just a reminder.. Don’t forget to check how much gas is left!

Remember this: there is no shame in outsourcing. We are busy people with busy lives, and sometimes the last thing we want to do is come home and clean. And even if we suck it up and clean our kitchen and our dishes night after night, cleaning an entire backyard is an entirely different story.

If you’ve got items that are bulky, hard to lift, or your backyard is a little more unruly and unkempt than you had first though, hire a professional rubbish removal company to clean your backyard for you. The best part about this option is that when they’re done, you don’t have to worry about the rubbish as they’ll take it all with them. It will be a complete makeover, and you won’t have to lift a finger, or worry about a thing.

Gardens are living, breathing entities, and when left unchecked, they tend to get unruly. Before throwing a backyard shindig or a barbie, make sure you get out the lawn mower and trim the grass (it is the same reason we make our consistent trips to the hairdresser). Nothing makes the place look immediately better than a quick trim of the lawn, but before you do this, ensure you get anything off the lawn that could get stuck or kick back and cause injury. Also, don’t forget to stay sun smart when working  outside. Nothing will end your cleaning ambitions quicker than sunburn, sunstroke or general dehydration. Apply sunscreen, wear a hat, drink plenty of water and take breaks as needed. If you’re not really a green thumb, you can do a little research on how to become a pro at garden maintenance.

Once you’ve mowed the lawn, maybe give it a nice edge, prune the garden and water your flowers to give them a happy and healthy look, and give your yard some pizzazz. Remember that if you have a bunch of green waste that you need to get rid of in a hurry but can’t fit in the skip bin, you can always hire expert rubbish removalists who specialise in moving waste like branches, dead plants, soil, grass clipping (and much garden waste), to swoop in get rid of that extra junk efficiently, safely and cheaply.

The best thing about hiring rubbish removalists is that they do it all at once, so once they are gone your backyard will look brand new, and you can move on to decorating and getting prepared for your nice new space.

Don’t just look after the garden, you have to clean and maintain the whole backyard as a whole. This means sweeping the walkways or decks, cleaning any furniture that birds’ bottoms may have aimed for, and generally ensuring that everything is looking shiny and new. It doesn’t even hurt to give the barbecue a wipe down to make it pop. 

There is nothing nicer than coming outside to a nice, clean backyard. It can instantly make you feel calm and at peace.

As we mentioned before, organising and storing items is a great way to keep your backyard looking nice. Clutter is the biggest part of the untidy aesthetic, so things are minimalist. If there’s anything that doesn’t add to your pleasure, your recreation or the aesthetic of your yard, get rid of it. This can either be permanent (rubbish pile) or not (storage area). If your daughter’s skateboard has been under your feet for a year but she hasn’t ridden it in twice that long, it’s time to put it in storage. If your son’s soccer ball is going flat on the lawn, but he’s more into gymnastics now, pack the soccer ball away for another time.