5 Things to Do to Get the Outside of Your Home Ready for Summer in Nashville
I am so happy that spring is here — and if you're a busy Nashville family or professional, that also means your to-do list just got a little longer. Before you can fully enjoy those long Tennessee evenings on the back porch, it's worth taking a good look at what winter left behind. A personal assistant can be a game-changer for exactly this kind of seasonal reset — because most of these tasks are simple, but they never quite make it to the top of the list on their own.
Here are five things we recommend doing right now to get the outside of your home ready for summer.
1. Clean the Grill
Let's just say it: that grill has been sitting there since last fall, and it is not ready for cookout season. Before you fire it up for the first time, give it a proper cleaning — scrub the grates, clear out the grease trap, and wipe down the exterior. A clean grill is a reliable grill. Catching issues like clogged burner ports or a full grease tray now can prevent dangerous grease fires later. Taste of Home
Not sure where to start? This step-by-step tutorial from America's Test Kitchen is one of our favorites:
📺 Watch: How to Deep Clean a Gas Grill – America's Test Kitchen
Trust us — your burgers will taste better too. And if you'd rather hand this one off to a personal assistant while you handle something else, that's exactly what Friday is here for.
2. Start Your Irrigation System
If you have an irrigation or sprinkler system, now is the time to get it up and running for the season. Turn it on, walk the zones, and look for any heads that are broken, clogged, or pointing in the wrong direction after winter. Catching a small leak now saves you from a big water bill later — and keeps your lawn and beds actually getting the water they need.
Nashville's spring can shift quickly from rainy to dry, so this one shouldn't wait. A personal assistant can walk your property, note problem areas, and coordinate a call to your irrigation company if repairs are needed — so you don't have to spend your Saturday morning doing it yourself.
3. Weed the Flower Beds and Add Fresh Mulch
This one makes a huge difference in curb appeal, and it doesn't take as long as you think. Get in there and pull the weeds that have already started creeping in, then top everything off with a fresh layer of mulch.
We recommend brown mulch or pine needles — they look clean, natural, and professional.
Pro tip: Skip the black mulch. It fades fast, can overheat plant roots in the summer sun, and just doesn't age as well.
And here's the reason mulch is worth the effort beyond just looks: weed seeds need light hitting the soil to germinate — wherever sunlight hits the soil, nature plants a weed. By placing mulch over the surface, the sunlight is blocked out, which prevents weed seeds from getting started. AgriLife Today When applied correctly, mulch creates a physical barrier that makes it difficult for weed seeds to germinate and grow in your landscape beds. It also blocks sunlight, regulates soil conditions, and reduces the chances of new weeds taking hold. Littlejohnslawns
📖 Read more: Does Mulch Help With Weed Control? – Little John's Lawns
4. Take Off Your Spigot Covers
Those foam covers you put on your outdoor faucets back in November? It's time to take them off. Once temperatures are consistently above freezing — which, for most of Middle Tennessee, means we're well past the point — you don't need them anymore.
Leaving spigot covers on can actually trap moisture and cause issues, so once warm weather is here to stay, it's important to remove them. F&J Outdoors Stash them somewhere easy to find so they're ready to go again in the fall.
Not sure how? This quick video walks you through it:
📺 Watch: How to Properly Install (and Remove) a Faucet Cover – F&J Outdoors / HGTV
5. Check Your Outdoor Lighting and Clean Out the Bugs
Walk around your home at dusk, or just take a look inside each fixture during the day. You'd be surprised how many outdoor lights are either burned out or completely full of bugs and debris from the past several months. Replace any dead bulbs, clean out the fixtures, and make sure your exterior lighting is actually doing its job.
Good lighting makes your home look polished and keeps your family safe after dark — and in Nashville's growing neighborhoods, curb appeal matters. This is a quick task that a personal assistant can knock out in under an hour while handling other items on your list.
Let Friday Handle It
At Friday, we help busy Nashville families and professionals take care of exactly these kinds of tasks — the ones you know need to happen but never seem to make it to the top of the list. Whether you need someone to coordinate vendors, walk your property, pull a few weeds, or simply make sure it all gets done, your personal assistant at Friday has it covered.
👉 Visit fridaypa.com to learn more or get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When is the right time to start getting my home's exterior ready for summer? Early spring is ideal — typically March through April in the Nashville area. Getting ahead of the heat means your irrigation system, outdoor lighting, and beds are ready before you actually need them.
Q: Do I really need to clean my grill before the first use of the season? Yes — and it's about more than taste. Grease buildup from last season can cause flare-ups or fires. A quick deep clean at the start of the season (and again at the end) keeps your grill cooking safely and efficiently.
Q: How much mulch should I put down? Two to three inches is the sweet spot for most residential flower beds. More than three inches can restrict airflow and suffocate plant roots, while less than two won't do much to suppress weeds or retain moisture.
Q: What's the difference between brown mulch and black mulch? Both suppress weeds, but black mulch fades faster, absorbs more heat (which can stress plant roots during hot Tennessee summers), and tends to look artificial over time. Brown mulch and pine needles hold their color better, look more natural, and are gentler on plants.
Q: When should I take off my spigot covers? Once nighttime temperatures in your area are consistently staying above freezing — generally by mid-April in Nashville — you're safe to remove them. Check your local forecast, and when you're confident a hard freeze isn't coming back, take them off and store them for fall.
Q: Can a personal assistant help with home exterior tasks like these? Absolutely. This is exactly the kind of work Friday specializes in. From coordinating vendors and walking your property to handling the actual tasks themselves, a personal assistant takes the mental load — and the physical to-do list — off your plate entirely. Learn more at fridaypa.com.
Q: I live in the Nashville area — do you serve my neighborhood? Friday, LLC is based in Brentwood and serves clients throughout the greater Nashville area, including Brentwood, Franklin, Belle Meade, Green Hills, and surrounding communities. Reach out at fridaypa.com to talk about your needs.
