This just in: cabin fever is real.

Staying cooped up in the house all winter long is enough to make anyone go crazy. Whether you’re seeing visions of The Phantom of Winters Past or having violent flashbacks of snowstorms, don’t worry. It’s finally over.

Before your cabin fever gets any worse, spend a few hours getting your patio or porch ready for spring and summer. Spending time on a dusty patio with rotted furniture and spider webs adorning every nook and cranny doesn’t exactly sound like a great time.

Take a weekend to get your porch up to speed with these simple tips and lay your cabin fever to rest.

A Clean Start

Nothing says welcome to the great outdoors like a clean patio, porch or deck. A few seasons worth of caked on dirt, leaves or mold can easily be removed with pressure washers. Put away the mop and bucket and don’t even think of getting on your hands and knees to scrub the ground. A pressure washer will do wonders for removing dirt and grime in just a matter of moments. Just be sure to get a firm hold on the hose and make sure to close the windows first — unless you want to power wash your kitchen too.

Fresh Paint Job

The weathered look may be in, but you’re not fooling anyone with the peeling paint on the sides of your porch or the patio table. A quick coat of paint can give your patio new life.

For metal, wicker or plastic furniture can of eco-friendly spray paint is probably your best bet. For painting wood furniture, use two coats of enamel paint. Use water to thin the paint for the first coat and allow it to dry thoroughly. If the furniture is rough, it’s not a bad idea to sand the first coat before applying the second.

A New Look

If your furniture is looking a little tired, this year might be the perfect time to replace it. Clinging to broken down furniture is no way to start spring — and be honest with yourself — you won’t want to spend time on the same 15 year-old chairs. If your furniture is in good shape, just give the cushions a good cleaning job and wipe down the arms and legs.  Otherwise, spend a day watching Yard Crashers on HGTV, get riled up and go spend chunk of change on some trendy new outdoor furniture. It’s a worthy investment.

A Little Greenery

Finish off your patio by putting your green thumb to use. Plant something beautiful either on the ground or in pots. Be sure to choose an array of colors and choose plants that can withstand your patio set up — direct sunlight, no sunlight, or whatever your outdoor situation looks like. If you don’t have a green thumb, ask your local garden supplier which plants are the easiest to take care of  — and which are least likely to die as a result of extreme negligence.

Ready For Action

With these few steps, your patio will be ready for spring. You’ll spend hours lounging around in your magazine worthy patio. All of your friends will be jealous. You can be the dashing outdoor dinner host and party like it’s 1999. Long live warm weather.