Yelena Moroz Alpert is an editor for USA TODAY Homefront. She has written about home improvement and renovation projects as well as design trends for the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Architectural Digest and House Beautiful. Having moved almost a dozen times, Yelena knows a thing or two about packing and organizing. In her spare time, Yelena is experimenting with gardening and updating her 1938 Cleveland home. Follow her DIY adventures @designfix.cle.
Curb appeal increases the value of a house — and a manicured grassy expanse is eye candy. To sport a lawn that will make neighbors green with envy, you need to either get your hands dirty (quite literally) or hire lawn care professionals. The average lawn care cost is $749 for an annual service plan…