As the cooler weather rolls in, we know you will be spending more time outside. Check out these 10 ways to make your backyard awesome this fall.
Clean up the Yard
Fall is a great time for yard work because the temperatures are finally starting to drop! Spend the weekend cleaning up your yard before winter hits. Rake the leaves to make the yard appear a little less cluttered. For easy transportation, rake the leaves onto a plastic tarp. Fertilize the grass so that the roots will continue to receive the nutrients that they need to stay healthy and grow over the winter. Trimming back dead limbs now will prevent unexpected breakage during the first winter freeze or snow of the year. Make sure to bring houseplants inside, too. Place them by a window so that they continue to receive sunlight and spray them with water to keep the soil moist.
Colorful Pots and Planters
Add some color and design to your green landscape by using colorful planters and pots for your plants. These pots are a great way to continue the color scheme or decorations that you have in your sitting or dining area of your backyard as well, making your backyard a complete masterpiece.
Yard Games
Oversized yard games are the coolest toy on the shelves right now. Life size Jenga, foot-long dominos and rope and wood tic-tac-toe are just a few of the game-night activities that have been enlarged to be the centerpiece of your tailgates and weekend barbecues. You can also find simple DIY tutorials to make your favorite game at home. All of the kids in your neighborhood will be wishing that they had your backyard.
Outdoor Furniture
Weekend game nights are now at your house because you have the coolest DIY yard games your friends have seen, but where are your guests going to sit during your gathering? Make your backyard a luxurious hangout area with outdoor furniture including sofas or chairs, or a traditional dining area with a table and chairs.
Fire Pit
Fall means cooler weather and cooler weather means it's time to be warmed up by the fire. Fire pits are an easy way to make your backyard look elegant and are relatively low maintenance. Place some chairs around your fire pit for late night conversations with friends or for roasting s'mores with the kids. You don't have to build a fire from scratch to have the campfire feeling anymore!
Portable Storage
Hide all of the kids' pool toys and the summer mosquito lamps in portable outdoor buildings. Storage containers are also perfect for hiding all of the little things that you need to have on hand but tend to be eyesores when you have company over.
Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor string lights are an inexpensive and practical way to simply dress up your backyard or to make your backyard ready for late nights by the fire. Outdoor string lights come in a variety of shapes and sizes so that you can find one that fits your backyard's personality. They make for magical nights!
Outdoor Rugs
Sometimes your yard may need an extra splash of color and that's where outdoor rugs come in. Find a rug for your patio that matches your outdoor furniture and watch the space come to life. Adding a rug to your outdoor kitchen area or outdoor living space will tie it all together.
Hammocks and Swings
Lazy Saturday mornings call for your favorite coffee, a good book and fresh air. Hang a hammock in between two of your trees to make a space for your afternoon naps or add a porch swing to your back patio to relax on and enjoy a glass of wine while you unwind from a busy week. It will also add some dimension to your landscape.
Gazebos and Pergolas
Expand your home's living space by adding a gazebo or pergola to your backyard. These freestanding structures add a sense of community to the otherwise bare space in your yard and add an attractive focal point to your landscape. These structures can house a dining or living area, regardless of the weather.
