Home Maintenance Monday 5/12/25: Prepare Your Grill/Outdoor Cooking Space for the Warm Weather Coming!
With the weather warming and the days getting so much longer, May is a great time to think about stepping back outside to cook! If you haven't already worked on getting your grill cleaned up for the season, NOW is a great time to think about it!
When looking for directions on how to mindfully and safely approach this task, I came across this checklist on a local to the PNW/Washington builder's website, that is a PERFECT checklist for going step by step to clean up and prepare your grill for grilling time! Please check it out here for a printable checklist that takes you step by step through the grill cleaning process: https://www.saltaire.org/bbqchecklist.pdf This list contains a lot to think about in terms of what to look over and think about cleaning up when starting up your grill for the first time in the season. I'm not going to plagiarize it by trying to replicate it for you here, if you're ready to address your grill, I highly recommend using this checklist resource!
Outdoor kitchen spaces are a popular feature in homes both modern and more traditional that have their roots in the sensibility of moving the cooking outside during the heat of summer so you don't have to heat your whole house up during a time of year when you might be trying to stay cool. There are so MANY ways to achieve the goal of creating this space for yourself at your own home; whether you tuck into an existing patio space with a little grill and some patio chairs, or build yourself a full on year-round outdoor cooking gazebo! There is an outdoor cooking space to fit all styles and spaces, from modern to rustic, budget friendly to sparing no expenses. Here are the basics though: Once you have a Grill/Smoker, +Wire Brushes and metal spatula, +Tables/Extra Surfaces for plates/processing, +Seating, +Water Access (Can be DIY with a 5 gallon jug or fully plumbed!), +Refrigeration? (Do you just need to bring out the coolers to help keep you meat and beverages cool... or do you want an outdoor space with built-in refrigeration?) +Bar space? +Entertainment? (Do you wan to bring a TV outside? Or just a karaoke station?) +Pizza Oven? The possibilities are endless! What do you want to cook in your space?
Whether you're dusting off a tried and true basic grill or thinking about major upgrades to your home's outdoor living spaces, right now is a good time to take a look around at your outdoor spaces and think about how far you want to take your outdoor cooking space this year!
What does your dream patio oasis look like?
Resources:
"Barbecue Self Inspection Safety Checklist" website resource found at: https://www.saltaire.org/bbqchecklist.pdf
"75 Outdoor Kitchen Ideas for Inspiration" website article found at: