Your Year-Round Outdoor To-Do List

Keeping your lawn and garden tidy all year can feel like a massive undertaking — because it kind of is. Breaking down your outdoor to-do list based on daily tasks, weekly tasks, monthly tasks and yearly tasks makes it more manageable. This approach makes it easier to stay on top of quick daily chores, like picking up lawn debris, without forgetting about larger jobs, like gutter cleaning and pressure washing, which you only need to do once or twice a year.

Read on for our best tips for maintaining your outdoor space through every season.

Nothing drags down the look of your lawn quicker than debris strewn across it. Rather than waiting for it to accumulate and spending hours picking it up, make a daily habit of collecting twigs, trash and other debris to keep your property looking pristine.

When plants are actively growing in your garden, they drink a lot of water. While your plants may not need water every single day, make sure you check them daily to keep track of their water needs. The last thing you want to do is head off to work and come home to a shriveled, sad plant.

While you're in the garden, check each plant for produce and grab the ripe stuff off the vine. Saving it for a weekly harvest will result in overripe produce and requires a much larger chunk of time. Plus, a daily harvest keeps fresh garden goodies on the countertop 24/7.

As you water the garden and harvest the produce, give each plant a quick once-over to check for pests and disease. These can set in overnight and quickly knock out an otherwise healthy plant.

If you're like us, you love gardening, but you could do without all the weeding. The solution? Pluck up the little weeds as they grow. If you wait until the roots get established, they're considerably harder to pull.

Regularly mowing your lawn is the key to ensuring your grass is healthy and vibrant. So, before you spend your hard-earned money on fertilizers, seed or topsoil, try adjusting your mowing schedule. Some lawns may need to be mowed more than once a week in the peak of the growing season.

After each mowing, don't forget to trim borders and edges. Trust us: This is the secret to giving your yard that precise finish you're after.

Take time to perform a thorough weeding once a week. Even if you stay on top of quick, daily weed removal, stubborn weeds will inevitably accumulate.

You've started a compost pile, making great use of your kitchen scraps and lawn debris, but did you know you need to turn your compost regularly? Turning compost introduces oxygen, which will help break down organic matter faster and discourage weed growth.

Most plants drop some sort of debris throughout the year as they make way for new growth. Occasionally raking out the area directly beneath each plant will dramatically improve the look of your landscaping.

Be sure to give your outdoor furniture a thorough wipe down each month. This will ensure your outdoor space looks its best, while keeping your clothing free of dirt and pollen. If you live in a cooler climate, your outdoor furniture should be covered or put away to avoid damage during the winter.

Spiders love making webs in every single nook and cranny of your home's exterior. While this is great for pest control, the web-covered aesthetic usually only works around Halloween, so we recommend taking time to thoroughly clean off spiderwebs at least once a month.

Pro tip: Follow up with a little bug spray if you want to prevent future spiderwebs and buy yourself more time between cleanings.

Once a year you should prune your large shrubs and trees, removing any damaged or diseased foliage and making room for new growth. However, different plants should be pruned at different times of year, so always do your research first.

Your lawn and garden tools work hard for you all year long, so make sure you show them some love at the end of each season. Clean off any buildup on the handles and blades, and cover the metal portions with a thin layer of oil to prevent any rust during the off-season.

Just like your hand tools, your larger lawn equipment needs to be serviced once a year. Clean them off, change oil, sharpen blades and perform any other services recommended by the manufacturer.

If you have leaves and other tree debris accumulating on your roof, you should remove it to prevent roof damage and water leaks. If your home is surrounded by numerous trees, you may need to perform this task every six months or even more frequently.

Just like your roof, leaves, twigs and other tree debris constantly work their way into your gutters, leading to a compacted layer that can completely clog things up. Make sure you clean your gutters at least once a year to keep water draining efficiently and prevent any leaks.

If you're anything like us, you're pretty disciplined when it comes to cleaning your home's windows on the interior side. But, the exterior side? Not so much. Once a year, give the outside of your window a thorough washing.

Your home's hardscape may not even look dirty, but believe us: Once you start pressure washing, you won't be able to stop. The grime accumulation in just one year can be staggering.

This just in: You have to clean your outdoor AC unit. Once the warm weather comes around and your HVAC unit kicks on for the first time, it may not get much of a break for several months. If it's caked with dust and dirt or surrounded by mulch, leaves or yard debris, there's no way it can perform well in the intense summer heat.

Raised beds have numerous benefits: They're beautiful, easy to use and make tending the garden much easier on your back. However, typical wooden raised beds need to be maintained to prevent rot and wear.