You’ll be surprised what a difference a clean curb makes.

To achieve a simple and noticeable pop in the “curb appeal” of your home, pay attention to the curb itself. Since it doesn’t serve as a focal point of your yard, keeping the curb neat and tidy can be easy to overlook. But the point behind cleaning up your curb is so that it won’t be noticed and draw your eye away from the rest of the landscaping. It’s one of those small details that has a surprising effect on the big picture of the curb appeal of your home.

A little cleanup would make this lawn and sidewalk look like new.

Here’s how to get the curb in front of your home in shape:

• Edge Lawn: Use an edger, a string trimmer, or a shovel and shears to give your lawn a sharp edge where it meets the curb. Even if you don’t have a prizewinning lawn, this step will make it look like you do.
• Remove Weeds: Pull (or spray with Round-Up) any weeds or grass poking through cracks in the concrete.
• Tidy Up: Rake leaves and debris and add them to your compost or trash pile. Neaten up around trash pick-up areas as well.
• Shovel Dirt: Run a square shovel along the gutter to scoop up any dirt or mud. I’m always surprised how much soil I shovel up! If the dirt is free of rocks, use it to fill in low spots in your yard.
• Clean Concrete: Give the curb a good rinsing to remove grass clippings and grit. Or, conserve water by using a broom to get the curb nice and clean.
• Other Areas: Follow these same steps to spruce up your driveway, sidewalk, and parking area.