Bringing the Inside Out

At this time of year even the busiest of us will take a moment to stop and smell the roses -- or the tulips, lilacs and whatever else blooms early in the season. Many will snip the blooms of their favourite spring flower and place them in a vase to be admired indoors.

But what about preparing our outdoor living space for the coming season? It's just as important to take some practical and often overlooked items from inside our homes, outside. A stash of old towels stacked in the shed or garage will come in handy when patio furniture needs to be hosed and wiped down. Even if they're needed only a few times throughout the season, they'll be close at hand.

And when you're arranging shovels, clippers and pruners, why not add a pair of kitchen scissors to your arsenal of gardening must-haves? When it comes time to top up the soil in your pots or beds, you could demonstrate your strength and endurance by wrestling with a bag of potting soil until you're blue in the face, or hack at it with another gardening tool. But wouldn't it be simpler to quickly cut it open with a pair of scissors?

So, the next time you peruse the interior of your home, contemplating the usefulness of the things you see, consider a donation to your outdoor living zone, before you cart anything away to a thrift store.