Make the Most of a Spring Break

With school spring breaks and Easter celebrations, many students will have a full week off this month to spend with their families or take a trip. That kind of down time is rare to get, so if you have (or can take) the week off together, make the most of it.

There are plenty of options for a cost-effective trip for the entire family, Family Destinations says, from spring skiing in Colorado and Upstate New York to soaking up the sun in Puerto Rico, Cancun or Jamaica.

Thriftier still — but just as fun — are road trips and camping trips. Whether you want to sleep under the stars or see the city lights, there’s likely an option within a day’s drive of home. Try Roadtrippers and other apps to plan your adventure.

The thriftiest and safest option, of course, is the staycation. While it might be a letdown for kids with wanderlust, you can make it special by planning leisure activities that you don’t normally make time for on school days.

Hikes, scavenger hunts, museum visits and art projects are all fair game. Or visit the library, camp out in the backyard or make your own film festival, National Heritage Academies suggests.

Another good idea is to spend a day or two #decluttering and #cleaning up your house in order to get it ready for the busy summer season. Chances are that there’s a lot of #stuff that needs to find a new home, not to mention some dirt and grime from the winter.

Sort through that stuff, and #donate whatever you don’t want to ClothingDonations.org. Challenge your kids to sort through, #organize and #declutter their possessions, too; there may be any number of school outfits that no longer fit or toys that get ignored.

Then, reward them (and/or yourself) with a special #spring-break outing! You’ll come home to a #cleaner, more #clutter-free place.

Prep Containers for Summer Gardening

Container #gardening is a great option for those who are short on #garden space or looking to dress up porches and walkways with accent plants. Before you plant, give your pots a good scrub and ensure they can drain properly, says Plant Perfect. For best results, line containers with peat and use new #potting mix rather than regular topsoil. And if you’re short on garden containers, pots and baskets, look no further than the thrift stores supplied by generous donations to ClothingDonations.org — and shop early to find a selection of one-of-a-kind, lightly used castoffs that you can repurpose for your dream garden.

Divide Plants to Fill in Landscaping for Free

One of the best — and cheapest — ways to add more plants that have proven successful in your garden is to divide perennials, Joe Gardener says. Plants such as hostas and day lilies can be split soon after they emerge from the ground by cutting through their center of their root bulbs with a sharp shovel or spade. After digging up a portion, you can plant it in another area of your yard to improve upon your landscaping for free. Likewise, spring is also a good time to thin out any overgrown perennials — and if you no longer have room for the transplants, you can give them away to friends and neighbors.

Test Your Garden Soil Before Planting

Ensuring that your garden soil has a balanced pH and is fed the proper nutrients can help your summer vegetable garden produce better and make flowering plants flourish. “Experts recommend testing garden soil every three to five years,” Proven Winners says, to see what soil elements are lacking or overly abundant. Then, you can apply products that help get your soil into the proper balance. Generally speaking, you can’t go wrong with a layer of compost or manure, plus a plant food that’s designed for your selection of plants and amends any deficiencies in your soil’s makeup.

Summer Gardening Starts Now

Are you planning to plant a vegetable or flower garden this summer? The time to start is now! Depending on your location, much of what you’ll want to do at this point in the year involves “hardscaping” — ensuring that your fences, walkways, trellises and beds are ready for the growing season. Then, a general cleanup is in order: Pull weeds, rake up debris that has collected over the winter, remove dead branches, etc. You’ll also want to sharpen and clean your garden tools, Rural Sprout says, and start any vegetable seeds indoors. In a couple of weeks, you’ll be able to prepare your soil.