Outdoor parties are a must for warm spring weather. If the weatherman’s forecast is correct, this weekend is a great time to host one. Round up your friends, but cover your bases first, including building an outdoor bar area.
So go on and scroll through our list of DIYs and get ready for party season.
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Hang Outdoor Lights
Not only are these easy to install, but ambient lighting is a great way to set the perfect mood for an outdoor party. The key to getting the lights to stay up? Screw-in or heavy-duty adhesive hooks. Just drape lights between hooks, making sure that the end plug is near an electrical source. For more details, head over to a href=”http://www.homeandgardenideas.com/outdoor-living/outdoor-decor/lighting/how-hang-string-lighting-outdoor-party” target=”_hplink”Home Garden Ideas/a.
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Create Container Gardens For Your Patio
From porches to front yards, any space can benefit from a pot of pretty blooms — and your patio is no exception. The key is to use a lightweight soil mix, which will provide excellent drainage and aeration. Head over to a href=”http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/container-essentials/index.html” target=”_hplink”HGTV/a for all the details.
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Create An Outdoor Bar
Spring weather is perfect for outdoor parties. But if you’re bothered by constantly running in and out to grab drinks, making an outdoor bar is a great solution. The easiest way? Positioning an inexpensive tiered rolling cart off to the side of your entertaining space. Simply stock the heaviest mixers (and extras) on the bottom level, unbreakable glasses or cups on the middle shelf and then line up bottles across the top of the cart, allowing enough space for mixing. Cut garnishes (lemon and limes) in advance, so guests can help themselves.
For a full tutorial on how to create a great outdoor bar space, visit a href=”http://www.ehow.com/how_6396745_create-outside-home-bar.html
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Get Your Pool Ready
Now’s the best time to set up your pool before the weather gets too hot (you should be relaxing in it, not working!) After sifting out the debris, give your pool cover a good cleaning before boxing it away. Then you’ll want to check the water and pH levels for good measure before firing up the pump. For more details and a step-by-step tutorial, swing on over to a href=”http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to-get-your-pool-ready-for-summer” target=”_blank”Do It Yourself’s website/a.
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Clean Your Outdoor Umbrella
If you can’t remember the last time you cleaned your patio umbrella, then now is probably a good time. First you’ll want to pull the canvas/fabric off of its base and fill up a garbage bin with a mix of bleach and water (one cup of bleach for every gallon of water.) Let your cloth soak in the solution for fifteen minutes and scrub down the dirtiest parts. While it’s still wet, place it back on the base and make sure it expands (this way you avoid shrinking the material.) For an easy-to-follow visual guide, head on over to a href=”http://diybydesign.blogspot.com/2011/06/how-to-clean-your-patio-umbrella.html” target=”_blank”DIY by Design’s tutorial/a.
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Build A Fire Pit
It might take the whole weekend to finish, but the end result is something you can admire and use for years. The steps involve digging a trench, filling it will gravel and assembling the walls. For the step-by-step instructions, visit a href=”http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,1636191,00.html” target=”_hplink”This Old House/a.
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Fix The Fence Gate
Fence gates that sag into the ground can be difficult to open. First, check if the gate post (the pole that hinges to your gate) is wobbly. If that’s the case, then simply secure crushed stone around the post with a sledgehammer. However, if the post is rotten, you’ll to unhinge the gate, dig up the post and replace it. For the step-by-step guidelines, visit a href=”http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20284513,00.html” target=”_blank”The Family Handyman/a.
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Mow Your Lawn The Right Way
Secure your goggles, keep your kids and pets indoors and fire up the lawn mower. The trick to achieving a nice even gloss is to glide your machine emacross/em the hill, not up and down. Also, be sure to avoid obstacles that get in the way (that includes sprinklers, people!) More details about this project can be found on a href=”http://home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-mow-your-lawn2.htm” target=”_blank”HowStuffWorks’ feature/a.
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