The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has taught us a lot over this past year-and-a-half. Not only have we learned more about the nature of the virus SARS-CoV-2 and its variants -- we’ve also gained a renewed perspective on the importance of community. Spending extended periods of time away from loved ones hasn’t been easy for anyone. Fortunately, outdoor gatherings have offered some respite from this isolation. For several months now, health experts have encouraged people to get outside during the pandemic both as a way to mentally recharge and as a safer means of socializing. Since the virus primarily spreads indoors in poorly ventilated spaces, the risk of outdoor transmission is exceedingly rare, especially if participants continue to keep a safe distance from one another.

Knowing this, it’s no surprise that the past year or so has seen a major increase in the use of outdoor spaces both in homes and businesses. Weather doesn’t always allow for outdoor enjoyment, of course, but when it does, getting some fresh air either at home or on the job has proven safe and beneficial. As a result, spending more time outside has become a positive habit for countless people. When this global pandemic finally wanes, there’s a good chance people will continue taking advantage of these outdoor areas, especially if said areas are in great condition. If you’re on board with this trend, it’s time to take exterior maintenance just as seriously as interior maintenance at your facility. Here are some ways to enhance and maintain your outdoor spaces, so they remain integral parts of your facility.

Expand Your Outdoor Spaces

If you’ve been thinking about expanding your facility’s outdoor areas, there’s never been a more practical time to get it done. Extending the surface area of your outdoor patio and walkways not only provides more space for employees, guests, and customers to enjoy the outdoors -- it also reduces the amount of landscape work you need to perform by getting rid of some lawn space. Whatever your primary motivation for doing so, introducing new outdoor installations will ultimately give you more control over your facility’s exterior. Even if you don’t have the space or means to make your outdoor space that much larger, you can transform it with installations like fresh lighting, furniture, decorative pieces, planters, and more.

Keep Lawns at Proper Lengths

For most facilities, their outdoor areas feature some amount of lawn space. These green areas are just as much a part of your property as any other feature, and therefore require the same amount of care. Lawns that are spotty, dried out, or overgrown don’t exactly please the eye -- worse yet, poorly kept lawns can embolden pests and encroach on the rest of your building exterior over time. As you’re scrutinizing your facility’s outdoor areas more and more these days, you might find that you need the aid of landscape maintenance services to keep these spaces healthy and appealing for all. Professional landscapers will maintain your green spaces through irrigation, fertilization, mowing, edging, pest control, and more.

Eliminate Litter on Your Grounds

An increase in outdoor activity also means an increase in litter. In a perfect world, everyone would know better than to leave their garbage on the ground, but there’s no way to prevent litter from landing on your property entirely. A litter-strewn landscape is obviously a bad look for your business, but it can also be detrimental to your outdoor areas themselves. If you want your outdoor spaces to remain the beautiful havens they can be, prioritize regular landscape debris removal protocols. Whether outsourced or in-house, your landscape debris removal team should inspect and clean up your grounds on a regular basis (the frequency will depend on your facility’s level of activity). A litter-free exterior will boost workplace morale as well as your business’ reputation.

Be Prepared for Storms

A strong enough storm can do serious damage to your outdoor spaces. Certain outcomes simply can’t be avoided, but it pays to be prepared for the worst. Stay alert to the weather patterns in your region and seek professional advice on preventative maintenance strategies to keep your landscape and installations well protected during harsh conditions. It’s also good to have storm debris removal professionals on-call to quickly clear away detritus and hazardous materials following a major weather event.

Stop Snow from Building Up

Speaking of storms, heavy snowfall poses a grave threat to your facility’s outdoor areas. While you probably won’t get much use out of your outdoor spaces during winter, it’s important not to fall behind in exterior maintenance. If you allow snow and ice to accumulate on your roof, patio, deck, and/or lawn, you may end up facing numerous repairs when spring rolls around. Do yourself and your business a favor and invest in reliable snow removal protocols and services this winter, especially if you’re expecting a snowy season.

Introduce Seasonal Color

We’re all familiar with the importance of proper interior design -- your exterior deserves just as much aesthetic attention, especially if you plan on using your outdoor spaces more and more. Emphasizing the natural beauty around you is a great way to make your outdoor spaces more enticing for everyone using them. Seasonal color installations will keep your facility in tune with the world around it, providing a complementary setting for your employees, guests, and customers.

Prioritize Exterior Cleanliness

Lastly, you must stay on top of exterior building cleaning if you wish to provide your people with a welcoming space to get some fresh air. It doesn’t matter how large or ornate your outdoor space is if it’s covered in dirt, dust, and debris. In a way, the first step to truly transforming your facility’s outdoor areas is giving it a good cleaning (and keeping it clean). Read our previous blog, “How to Show Your Facility’s Exterior the Same TLC as Your Interior,” for more advice on this matter.

Make Your People Want to Stay Outside

If this worldwide pandemic has encouraged us to do anything, it’s to spend more time outdoors. While the incoming cold weather is bound to bring more people indoors, the larger trend of outdoor enjoyment is most likely here to stay, and it comes with many benefits. It’s up to you to take advantage of these benefits by paying closer attention to the condition of your facility’s exterior. If you’re not sure where to begin, The Budd Group is here to help with our wide range of maintenance offerings, including pressure washing, landscaping, window cleaning, commercial installations, debris removal, and so much more.

To learn more about our services and values, give us a call today at 800-221-8158!