The Good Life: Rehab Your Porch in 10 Steps

Like nearly everyone in southeastern Virginia, I love leaving the heat and humidity behind when fall comes around. Also, I’m really glad to get the kids off to school and get back in a routine 😉 Throw in a couple of pumpkin doughnuts, and I am not mad at October AT ALL.

Fall has me rethinking about the welcoming “vibe” my porch is giving off, too. Does my porch have a half-dead hanging fern that never gets watered because the boys can’t reach it? Are there mud-crusted shoes by the door that I didn’t want in the house? Is there a broken Nerf gun on the bench? The answer to all of these questions is YES. Not a good fall look. If your porch looks anything like mine, read on to learn how to create welcoming first impression.

Sweep off the whole porch really well! If you have a door mat, sweep it or hose it down depending on the material. Sweep under and behind any furniture and planters. Sweep out any high corners for cobwebs.
Wipe down your door, window sills, lighting and any trim work
Wipe down outdoor furniture
Clean any windows that look out onto the porch
Remove dead plants or dead foliage and flowers. Wipe down your pots to remove grime.

Dump out the old dirt and clean your pots thoroughly if you’re replacing your plants
Wash outdoor pillows or swap them for something seasonal
Carefully dust your wreath or swap it for something “harvesty”
Inspect your flag. Is it still in good condition?
Arrange your pumpkins!

I guarantee you that you will love coming home to your cozy (and clean) autumn porch. Although we want our homes to welcome guests and visitors, it’s so vitally important that our homes speaks to us as well! A few simple changes can help give you a sense of calm when you walk through your door at the end of a long day and help you embrace the season in a way that feels personal.

Below, I’ve create an autumn design board (with sources!) that I hope will help you kick off your own porch rehab 🙂