4 Tips from Chip Gaines to Help You Tackle Any Spring Project, Indoors and Out

He partnered with Bobcat to explain it all

Spring has officially sprung. Punxsutawney Phil made his announcement, and the first day, March 19, has come and gone. With the spring season comes spring cleaning, a task that can feel unwieldy and impossible when you look at it from afar.

But if you have the right equipment and advice, it might be much easier than you feared—and who better to deliver that expertise than Chip Gaines?

Gaines is more than just one of the stars of HGTV’s Fixer Upper. On the show and beyond, he and his wife, Joanna Gaines, have renovated more than 100 houses, stood at the helm of the media brand Magnolia, and written two New York Times bestselling books.

More than that, though, he lives on a farm with his family in Texas—so he knows how the right equipment can make a big difference. Gaines partnered with Bobcat, the American-based farm and construction equipment manufacturer, all about how homeowners can tackle their outdoor projects efficiently and effectively.

“You know, I like to have a good time—I love to work hard, I love to play hard,” Gaines says in an Instagram post announcing the partnership. “But really when it comes to equipment, I expect a lot. When I heard through the grapevine that Bobcat was interested in partnering with me, I was ecstatic. When I was a kid, I grew up with a dream to one day operate equipment—that’s how fun gets done.”

We are heeding Gaines' advice to tackle some springtime home projects, and you should too. Below, we walk through some of his best tips.

Start Smart

Gaines and Bobcat recommend scheduling time to ensure you have the right equipment, supplies, measurements, and more before you actually get to work.

For instance, when Gaines wanted to extend a fence in his yard, he measured the extension twice and ordered the wooden posts and barbed wire before even starting the hard work. That way, with the auger attachment on his Bobcat mini track loader, which helped dig hole posts, the execution was as easy as possible.

Prep Before You Stress Your Lawn

Gaines shared a great story with Bobcat about watching someone riding a lawn mower out the window while he was in a college lecture and just wishing he could get out there and do the same. This led to his second tip, which was about how important proper lawn care is.

When you decide it’s time to get your grass ready for the growing season, you need to start slow. Aerate your lawn, consider overseeding it, repair minor rodent damage, and fix up your irrigation system and sprinkler heads.

Get The Right Equipment—and Keep It Happy

Every year, in early spring, Gaines takes down the fast-spreading invasive mesquite trees so many homeowners in the Southwest encounter by using Bobcat’s compact tractor. Gaines says the quality tool, “makes the job of tackling them easier and way more efficient.”

It's essential to keep your equipment looking sharp, too, so you can continue to use it for years to come. Early spring is a great time to look at your equipment, keep your machinery serviced, and shine everything up.

Have Some Fun

Gaine’s longtime philosophy is to enjoy the process of work. Spring cleaning can be a tough task, and it’s made a lot more enjoyable if you have a good time with it.

“Though farm chores and construction work are some of the most physically demanding jobs that I do, when I keep my mind set on the thrill of the discovery—what it’s all going to look like or what I’ll get to learn on the other side—it’s a whole lot more natural to love the work itself,” Gaines said. “And there’s something really satisfying about work that feels like it’s giving you purpose.”

Read Next: We Asked An Expert for Her Best Tips to Help You Conquer Spring Cleaning

Read the original article on The Spruce.