Sure, you typically focus your spring cleaning on the inside of the house, but getting your yard ready for the new season should also be on your list. Here are several tips to streamline your outdoor spring cleaning.

1. Survey the damage, post-melt. Once the last of the snow is gone, survey your lawn for any bare areas or dead spots of grass. Heavy traffic and pet messes can keep the grass from growing back. You can help by sprinkling some soil over the area and adding grass and fertilizer. Be sure to keep the dirt moist until the seeds sprout into grass.

2. Tidy up any debris. As you scan your yard, remove any fallen branches and twigs. If your lawn is covered with leaves, there’s no way around pulling out the rake. Before collecting the leaves, be sure the ground is completely dry — raking over wet grass can tear it from the roots, leaving you with even more bare patches. Don’t send the leaves, branches, and twigs to the garbage, though. Use them to create a compost pile.

http://shine.yahoo.com/at-home/time-spring-clean-yard-165800417.html