The front of your house and its accompanying yard is an area worth more thought than you might initially think. It’s quite literally the first impression which, contrary to the belief of the saying, you will have the chance to make twice. And again, and again… every time you come home from work or just out having fun, you’re going to notice the front of your yard.

Not only is it the first impression for you, but it’s also the first impression for your guests. It’s very well and good to work on your home decor, but if your guests arrive and the first thing they see is negative? Well, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to overcome that no matter how good your internal style is.

So getting your yard right is important; we’ve established that. From that point on, you then have to make a series of decisions about the direction that you want to go in with it. To know where to begin, there’s a few simple things you need to ask yourself.

#1 – How Much Am I Willing To Maintain?

The classic front yard has a driveway, some kind of hanging baskets, and then some shrubs and bushes along the side. Perhaps a lawn if there’s enough space.

That’s great – and a classic for a reason – but it’s also a lot of work. Gardening is often referred to as being housework you do outdoors, so if you go for a lot of plants and shrubbery, you need to commit to maintaining them. Either you promise you can make time for it yourself or you decide to bring in the pros such as AtkinsInc.com to keep it looking in tip-top condition. If that works for you, then great!

If not, then you need to think low maintenance and prioritise this at the top of your requirements. You could use false plants and shrubs or opt for a larger drive area; even doing away with any plant-life at all if you don’t want to maintain it.

#2 – How Much Money Do I Have?

Budgeting is a necessary part of any home improvement, but there are a few extra things to take into consideration with your front yard. While you want this area to be nice, it doesn’t have to be expensively nice. After all, this is an area where you will spend a relatively small amount of time, so opting for the best of everything isn’t entirely necessary. This is one project where “nice enough” will more than suffice, so make savings where you can. For example, for plants, there are some great suggestions in inexpensive shrubbery at Freshome.com.

#3 – Are My Plans Practical?

The front of your house is an area that sees a lot of action, from cars coming and going through to the daily mail delivery. So it’s important to allow that action to continue unimpeded by your design plans. Walkways should be easy to navigate year-round, and there should be plenty of room for any cars you plan to keep there. Looking nice for a good price is good, but bear in mind you’re still going to have to live there.