The winter months are probably not your favorite time to be in your yard. After all, summertime was probably full of things like outdoor parties, barbecues and watching your children and grandchildren play outside. If you are feeling a bit sad about saying goodbye to summer of 2017, just think of what is ahead of you. Besides Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, you'll be bringing in the new year. That means spring and summer are right around the corner, right? Even if that's not really true, that doesn't mean that you can't look ahead and plan for those warmer months. From assessing your gardens to repairing your gutters, here are some ways that you can prepare your yard for next spring and summer:

The Assessment -

Think about actually writing down important things as you assess your yard. By doing so, you can check things off the list as you accomplish them.

• For example, write down the names of plants that flourished in your garden.
• Write down that you need to buy weatherproof covers for your garden furniture.
• Note that you need to buy things like new rakes or gardening hand tools.

While you're at it, think about how you can design a better yard. For example, you might want to add a patio area for entertaining. Or, you might want to concrete part of the yard for your children use chalk in order to play things like hopscotch and tic-tac-toe.

Make Repairs -

As you write things down that need to be done, don't forget to include things that need to be repaired or replaced. 

• For instance, your gutters might not be functioning as well as they could.
• Think about talking to a professional who can tell you if they need to be repaired or replaced.
• If you end up replacing the gutters, think of selecting seamless ones that are very efficient.

The great thing about seamless gutters is that they can be custom cut to fit the area where they'll be placed. That means that there will be fewer sections. Seamless gutter systems are designed in a way that there will be less leakage and less rot that occurs. They're affordable and very easy to install, and they'll last for a very long time.

Check out things like your patio roof, window screens, and even your patio furniture. Note the things that need to be repaired and get them done during the winter months so you'll be totally ready to enjoy spring and summer next year.