Hello June! Now that Memorial Day has passed, the official start of summer is upon us. Time to get your home ready for entertaining, visiting family members, and hosting cookouts/backyard barbeques. This year, instead of traveling for Memorial Day, we used the long weekend to revamp, refresh our small patio just in time for the summer. This is what we were working with “Before”

Now this is what we did to give ourselves a little outdoor oasis. “After”

Here are some tips on giving your small patio a makeover on a budget! 

• Shop at your local thrift store       

These outdoor throw pillows were a thrift store find. I  love thrifting and really enjoy the hunt for treasure. I got two of the green tiger stripe and the neutral one which fit perfect on my patio set for $3! 

• Check out the Dollar Tree for accessories

Because I plan to sit on my patio both day and night, candles and lighting will help with ambience. I got little citronella candles to help keep those pesky bugs away, drinkware for those summer cocktails I plan to enjoy, some artificial plants and these mini LED lanterns are Dollar Tree finds that reminded me of something you might see in stores like Pier One or World Market. 

• Sign up for deals at World Market, save 15 percent off your purchase

Affordable outdoor and patio furniture is just one of the things I shop for at World Market . If you saw my last post about tips for hosting a wine tasting at home, then you know I also go there for food, drink and entertaining items. I had watched their Belize 4 piece Outdoor Occasional Furniture set go on sale and combined it with a coupon to get a great deal! My husband and I enjoyed lighting up some tiki torches and relaxing on our new ,comfortable patio set. It’s made out of acacia wood with a gray oil finish and includes 2 chairs, a bench, antique white cushions and a coffee table.

I now have a place to sit outside during the day while working from home! You may have caught me on IG @SobeSavvy instastories sippin like…

• Remix and Reuse some things you already have. Remember, it’s all in the details!

Mixing old with new items is always a great way to save. I took an old 3 tier adjustable wire shelving-turquoise- from Target’s Room Essentials line and turned it into my outdoor beverage cart. I bought new pillowcases (from dollar store) to cover old pillows. Our new plant from BJ’s  was placed in an old wicker basket picked up from the thrift store. Another bargain store to check out for small accessories and details is 5 below. I got some side tables to place my faux plants from the dollar tree on…

..and these faux succulants from 5 below!

The one last thing I add is LOVE. As with any home project, it’s very important to love it because you have to live in the space.  From a shoppers perspective, I also love that here in Raleigh, NC I have access to great bargain shopping , thrift and discount stores.

We are super excited to have our small patio ready for bbqs, inflatable kiddie pool party fun with my little one and backyard entertaining. Our outdoor oasis was spruced up with an outdoor rug, outdoor funiture, pillows, plants, candles and love. We are now ready to live the patio life this summer! 

 

Do you plan to update your home decor for the summer season? Which home spaces do you plan to redesign..share below!