Spring On The Decks: The Cleaning Week

We are only in week two of the One Room Challenge, and we are already enjoying the front deck again, even though it is far from being finished. There is finally a place to sit down again and enjoy the Spring breeze and mountain view. 

So this is what we have done so far.

It all starts with cleaning

Week two started out with a full day of cleaning. And by cleaning, I mean pressure washing. Both the front and back decks’ boards and railings have been thoroughly cleaned for the first stage of the updates.

Next was cleaning up the furniture we intend to keep.

The four sling chairs on the bottom level of the front deck, which had never been used, had become covered in mold and mildew from constant exposure to the shade and were given a thorough cleaning. Now they look brand new again. They have also been moved to the upper deck area.

I have decided that there will be no chairs on the lower deck level and that I will instead install large planter pots filled with shade-tolerant plants to create a more welcoming entrance. If anyone has some great suggestions for plants for these pots, I would love to hear them!

And speaking of larger planters, I found two for the front deck that I really liked from Home Depot. Afterward, I visited a local greenhouse and found some new plants to try out for both the front and back decks. I figured planting them early in the makeover process would give them time to either grow beautifully in the new planters or give me time to remake them again.

If you also love buying new flowering plants in the Spring, you know that if you don’t buy them NOW, there won’t be any left by the end of April anyway. So I tackled the new flowers early. And yes, my dogs have already discovered the new pots on the front porch. Good thing we rarely leave them out there unsupervised. Maybe these pots will have a chance.

The pots that once sat on the back deck have also been cleaned up and replanted, but for now, they are still sitting on the sidewalk outside of the fence. There is a slim chance they will return to the back deck because of the dogs, but just in case I decide to try again, they are cleaned up and ready to put on the back deck either way.

Week two also included ordering new outdoor rugs from Amazon for both the front and back deck areas, but I will wait to show you those closer to the reveal. Again, I wanted to order them early to test out the sizes and colors. The colors are perfect, but one is a bit too small, so I have time to replace that one.

Week 3, I will start on the door makeovers.

Leading into week three is the challenge of our three exterior doors. Only one of them got a makeover before this challenge, which I purposely didn’t show the door in the week one photos. I have never shared the side door makeover on any platform or the blog, and it is the inspiration for the other two, so I will share them all together in one post in a few weeks.

Armed with an orbital sander and a paint brush, I am ready for week three!

Zechariah 4:10 Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.

Previous week’s posts:

Spring On The Decks: Week One