For many Muskoka cottage owners, the season begins and ends with a cleanup that sets the tone for everything that follows. This Bracebridge property received a full spring reset in late April — before the client’s first arrival of the year — and a comprehensive fall close in October that left the property protected and tidy through the off-season. Both cleanups were completed while the client was off-site, with progress communicated directly.

By the time the snow melted, the property had accumulated the typical aftermath of a northern Ontario winter: downed branches from ice storms, debris matted into the lawn surface, dead plant material that had not been removed the previous fall, and overgrown sections along pathways and sitting areas. The client wanted the property guest-ready for the Victoria Day long weekend without being on-site to manage the work.

In the fall, the challenge shifted to leaf volume — a common issue in Muskoka where mature trees drop heavily across lawns and garden beds within a compressed window. Beds needed clearing and cutting back, and gutters and hard surfaces had to be cleaned before the first freeze.

In both cases, the client required detailed communication about what had been done, since they were managing the property remotely.