Outdoor DIY Ideas to Spruce Up Your Home This Summer

When the winter weather turns to summer sun again, we can’t wait for an excuse to get outside! If you’ve spent the winter months finding things around the house that could use a little extra love or dreaming of ways to add something new to your outdoor space, now is the time to get started with an outdoor do-it-yourself (DIY) project.

There’s something immensely satisfying about toiling outdoors. Working with your hands and being able to look at a finished DIY home project and say to yourself, “I did that,” is good for the body and the mind. Plus, spending time in the sun is an easy way to get some vitamin D.

Where To Begin Your DIY Home Project

Whether you’ve never tackled a home project, or you’re regularly tinkering around the home, a good place to start is at a local home improvement store. They have experts in all areas, including gardening, lumber, paint and so much more who are there to answer questions and help guide you. Go in with a few DIY ideas you’ve gathered from magazine articles, social media or things you’ve seen around the neighborhood. Bring pictures of your home or the space where you want the project to be.

Do It Myself or Do It For Me?

One benefit of a DIY project is that it’s often more budget friendly than paying a contractor to do it for you. Exceptions may include complicated projects, like ones that might require getting permits from the local government, or that require electrical or plumbing work like gazebos, koi ponds or outdoor kitchens.

By all means, tackle whatever project you feel most comfortable with or that give you the challenge you crave, but also know when to call in help if it’s needed. An inexpensive DIY project can become expensive very easily if it’s done wrong and needs to be started over!

Quick and Easy DIY Projects

If you’re looking for something that’s budget friendly and quick and easy, these fun DIY home projects:

1. Get to Gardening – Planting an outdoor garden, whether to grow your own produce or simply beautify your space with flowers and plants, is a fun way to spend time outdoors. Gardening is also great exercise, and it promises to keep you busy for months, from plucking weeds to pruning overgrowth. You can start small with a container garden or raised bed and add to it as your skills and confidence grow.
    
2. Pretty Up the Patio – When the weather warms up, it’s a good time to re-stain wooden patios or fencing. Maybe you’ve noticed some unseemly cracks in the concrete? Sealing them up restores strength (plus it looks nicer, too). If you have broken pavers, replace or fix them since they can be a tripping hazard to you or your houseguests.
    
3. Build a Bird Feeder – There’s something calming about watching colorful birds. Attract them to your yard by building them a bird feeder. You can make a bird feeder out of pretty much anything – an empty plastic bottle, some mismatched plate ware, even pinecones. The possibilities are virtually endless if you have a glue gun and some creativity.
    
4. Paint Patio Furniture – If your outdoor furniture is looking a little tired, it’s amazing what fresh coat of paint can do. Sand down and paint Adirondack chairs or revitalize rusted metal patio furniture. Even cushioned outdoor furniture can use a makeover with fresh upholstering.
    
5. Create a Compost Bin – Why buy a composter when you can make your own with just an old plastic tub and a power drill! Composting is a great way to reduce your trash since the “feed” is old table scraps such as banana peels, coffee grind and eggshells. Over time you’ll get nutrient-rich soil to use in your flower beds or outdoor garden. (See first DIY home idea!)

Even some indoor DIY projects can be done outside, where you can enjoy the sunshine. The possibilities are truly limitless!