Maximizing outdoor space is about making the most of the space you have, to suit your tastes and lifestyle. Not everyone can enjoy the luxury of a big lawn for their gardening. Living in a city apartment or sharing a house might only leave you with a small space to work with.
Merging Indoor to Outdoor Space
Sometimes there isn’t much you can do with a small backyard for gardening. In this case, look into extending the flow of your interior area into the garden. Use furniture and decor similar to what is inside. Arrange the outdoor space so that it feels like another room in the house.
Practicality v. Aesthetic
Look at how your outdoor space would work for you. If you entertain guests, look into arranging plenty of seats, mood lighting and a canopy of some kind to protect against the weather. If the space is rarely used, try a more decorative and ornamental look.
Eliminate Clutter
Decoration and clutter aren’t the same thing. Try to keep everything as spacious as possible by removing junk lying around. That means old timber from past DIY projects, bricks or house clutter left outside. Leave the space clear of unwanted objects so that you might get a better picture of what to do with it. Giving yourself that extra bit more room will make any arrangements that much easier.
Plan Your Projects
If there’s a project you want to do involving your outdoor garden or yard, don’t rush it. It could be something as simple as installing a gazebo, or it could be a time-consuming project like laying a patio. Either way, taking the time to organise and plan will save you many headaches later.
Don’t Be Cheap
This counts for anything you do involving DIY or rearranging your home. You don’t have to spend ludicrous amounts of money, but spending smarter will definitely help. Good spending ensures you have quality materials and professional services to get the job done right.
Climate Appropriate
A grass patio or lawn is great, but if you live somewhere with near constant rainfall, maybe not. It’s important to balance your desires with reality and work the two off of each other. Consider materials like concrete, cobbling or artificial turfing to see how they could work best for your climate.
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Recycling and Sustainability
With climate change so prominent in our world, consider reusing or buying re-purposed material for your garden. Turn old tyres into plant pots, old mattresses for vegetable gardens or shipping containers for sheds and urban gardens. Make your outdoor space an eco-paradise.
Flexibility
Design your outdoor space in a way that lets you change it when appropriate. Being able to swap out furniture, plants and general decor depending on occasion or season would fully maximise your space. Even with a tiny yard or patio, it could just mean changing a few key pieces to transform the overall tone. It’s possible, no matter the size of your space.
It may seem like a difficult task at first, but it is doable. All it takes to make the most from your outdoor space is a bit of planning and vision in what you want to do with it. Work the space so that every element conforms to what you want from it. Spend appropriately, and don’t skimp out when it comes to good material and decor. Treat your outdoor area as though it were any other part of your house. Following some of these tips will help you get the outdoor space you have always desired.
Author bio:
When her schedule permits, Harper likes to spend summers hosting BBQ parties for family and friends. And when the weather starts getting colder, she plans board game and wine nights for her best buds! Most days though, she is busy writing for various sites and her own personal blog.
