5 Value-adding Outdoor Hacks That Won’t Blow Your Budget

Is your backyard in need of a bit of TLC? It’s easy to put the outside areas of the house on the backburner when it comes to maintenance and care – especially if it’s out of sight. An inviting backyard with well-placed furniture is an easy way to extend your living area. Backyards provide space for games, picnics, parties, or relaxing and enjoying a nice dose of Vitamin D.

We’ve put together a list of five hacks that won’t blow your budget but will add the inspiration you need to start making the most of your piece of real estate. After all, you’ve paid a lot for that land!

Clean up

This first step is easy and free. Start by removing anything unsightly. If you have to keep it, rehome it somewhere out of site otherwise, it’s time to say goodbye. Secondly, move on to plants and green matter, get rid of any weeds, leaves, seedpods, sticks and similar that might be making your yard look messy. Remove any dead or unsightly plants and bushes. Pressure clean any concrete, brick or render walls, and stepping stones to remove dirt and mould.

Reseed your lawn

If your lawn is patchy or anything less than luxe, a cheap and easy fix is to reseed your lawn. You can go to Bunnings and buy grass seed and fertiliser. Follow the instructions and add water! By thickening up your grass, your backyard will be green and inviting, after all, we can all do with a bit more nature in our life.

Add a footpath or stepping stones to high foot traffic areas.

Do you have a high foot traffic area in your backyard that always tends to look a bit dead, muddy, or squashed? Adding a simple footpath or some stepping stones can add to the visual appeal of your backyard while also being functional. While you’ll probably choose to engage a professional to add a footpath, you might find adding stepping stones is something that you can do yourself.

Farewell old concrete!

Nothing says rundown like old, cracked or stained (beyond repair) concrete. Concrete issues are a little more expensive to fix, but the improvement will be worth the while – even if you need to wait for the savings to build up. A quick fix without significant work is to add a deck over the old stuff. There is a vast range of decking solutions to choose from with timber, artificial timber, and products like HardieDeck available.

Add a feature

Adding a feature can help you to set the vibe of your backyard. Are you going for a relaxed coastal vibe? Perhaps adding some carefully chosen sun lounge chairs, side tables and a nice big umbrella can become a practical feature in itself. A water feature is also perfect for hot locations as they add a sense of cool and relaxation. A fire pit is a popular favourite for urban styled backyards or of course for anyone in a colder climate.

Looking after your backyard does amazing things to the appeal of your property, sale prices, and most importantly the way you feel at home. We highly recommend setting a couple of weekends aside and getting the back yard in check. You might be surprised how enticing your backyard can look with just a few simple changes, the commitment of your time and of course regular watering.

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