The old saying that you’re only as good as the company you keep can be applied to many scenarios, and not surprisingly, it can be easily applied to where you live.

I’m not talking about specific suburbs or what your next-door neighbour does for a living (although that’s another blog entirely), but rather what condition your street is in.

While some features of your street can’t be easily altered (such as broken footpaths or overgrown tree roots) there are steps you can undertake to tidy up your street that will undoubtedly add value to your property, especially when selling.

Litter bugs be gone

No one likes litter, and NO ONE like a litterer. Now I’m not asking you to become the litter police of your street, but maybe think about forming a community beautifying working bee. It’s as simple as popping a leaflet in your neighbour’s letterboxes and sending an open invitation to band together to help keep your street clean. While everyone leads busy lives, you might be surprised with the response. You can create a simple rotating timetable and take turns picking up litter (and removing the posters from the electricity poles). All you need is some rubber gloves and a few plastic bags. You might even pick up some new friends!

The old couch that time forgot

One of my pet hates is seeing old furniture (especially mattresses) sitting on a footpath. It’s unsightly, unhygienic and unfortunately a staple on most suburban streets. In most cases, people have moved house and decided to dump their unwanted broken sofa or soiled mattress on the side of the road rather than pay a removalist. And, unfortunately, these ghastly pieces sit there rotting until the next council clean up. Here’s what you can do. If you see your neighbours moving, let them know you are watching, they’ll be less inclined to dump and run. However, if they do leave an unwanted deposit, contact your local council and report the offence.

Nature’s first green is gold

A hot trend I’ve been following for a while are community gardens. There’s nothing more satisfying than growing your own produce. However, many people don’t have the space or time to invest in their own patch of earth. Getting together with your neighbours and even getting the kids involved is such a wonderful and satisfying way to build community spirit AND increase the value of your street.

At the end of the day, whether you are planning on living in your street for the long haul, or you’re planning on sell soon, keeping your street tidy and clean will most definitely add value to your property. Keeping your verge mowed, clean and tidy, free of leaves and litter will add immensely to the value of your property as its gives a sense of a well loved area inside and out.

You will be surprised how a few small steps can make huge improvements, and your actions and ideas will rub off on others. You’ll also realise that once your neighbours become involved, it’ll be a lot easier to maintain the neatness.

Take pride in where you live!