Let the Summer Begin!
By Brian Kerr and Grace Corradino

Why is it that some Fire Island homeowners arrive at their vacation home for the first time in the spring and in relatively short order, they are sitting down on the deck, reading The Times? In thinking about this as we watch the spring tableau unfold, we noticed four categories of Fire Island homeowners. What’s your style?

Homeowners who have paid for everything to be done, so that when they arrive, their house is perfect. The cheese is at room temperature, the wine is cooling and all is well.

Another group of owners we come upon is the type who has a house in chaos, with paint peeling off the walls and woodwork, damage from the elements, a dirty house, disrepair all around—and they just don’t care. They are here and they are going to relax, no matter what. These are the people who will never have a heart attack, because nothing bothers them. On the other hand, the value of their property plummets as the damage increases. There is always a price to pay.

Then there are the do it yourselfers. These are the homeowners who change into their work clothes shortly after disembarking from the ferry. For them, relaxation is doing work around the house. They sit down and relax only to eat. Once fortified they heave themselves back at their chores.

The last category of homeowner is the one who really has it together. When they left in the fall, the house was prepared for the next spring. Any work that needed to be done was contracted for in the fall and completed over the winter. Sheets were left on all the furniture, pictures have been removed from the walls, the chimney has been covered to prevent animals from nesting in the chimney, the garden has been cleaned and put to bed for winter. When these homeowners arrive in the spring, all that is required is to put the outside furniture in place, wipe down surfaces, uncover the chimney and put away the food in a refrigerator that was left clean in the fall.

Being organized and living as simply as possible here on Fire Island makes life a lot easier and the path to the easy chair and (i)The Times is clear from day one. If you want to pay Fire Island contractors to clear that path, that’s great, if not, we offer the following suggestions for making your life a bit easier.

Even the most modest beach house can be a palace if it is clutter free both inside and out. Do you have things in your house that are rusty and aren’t supposed to be? If you answered “yes” to this question then you need to get contractor-sized bags from Costco and bring them to your beach house. Empty closets, kitchen cupboards, sheds and shelves of anything that is rusty. Throw it away! You will feel so much better and you will have gotten rid of so much stuff that you do not need.

Power wash your deck and deck furniture. Get a small power washer. Again, Costco is a great source. You can order it online and send it over on the freight boat. Then, recruit the family. The kids will have fun doing it. Clean your railings, deck furniture, etc. Again, one afternoon and you will feel so much better. This is a chore that can be done every couple of years.

The green slime from the buildup of standing water, and the ensuing development of molds, makes its way in to your house. For health reasons and to protect the value of your house, mold should be scrubbed and eliminated as soon as it appears. Don’t forget the outside shower.

Every spring heavy yellow pollen hits the screens and windows. Wait to get your windows cleaned or to clean them yourself, until the annual pollen is over.

Keep trees, shrubs and foliage of any sort off your house. Vines and bamboo can be particularly troublesome on Fire Island if left unchecked. If you are a do it yourselfer, get a very good pair of hand pruners at a nursery and keep after both of these insidious plants. Arrange to have your carter haul the cuttings away.

If you keep after everything—the clutter, the slime, the pollen and the foliage—maybe then you can rest. And catch up on your reading, your sleep or your recreation.

In the event we get our own chores done, we will see you at the beach.

Brian and Grace live in Saltaire, year round. Brian owns Brian Kerr Landscaping, Inc. and Grace, a real estate broker, owns Fire Island Living Real Estate. Both Brian and Grace welcome your comments and questions about all things Fire Island. Send them an email either at Grace@FireIslandLiving.com.