As lockdown begins to lift and long summer evenings are upon us, outdoor DIY projects make great sense. Whether you have an exciting creative project in mind or you simply have some garden furniture that needs some TLC, hopefully the following tips and tricks will guide you on your outdoor DIY adventure. So grab your leaf blower and your mower, tidy up that garden, and get set to DIY it into something spectacular.
Simple decorative DIYs
If you’re lucky enough to have some outdoor space of your own, think about adding some character. You can easily create beautiful and elegant jar lights. You can make this task as simple or as complicated as you like, for example, use empty and cleaned jam jars, old glasses or bottles and put a tealight inside.
If you’re a serious DIY buff, you can figure out how to incorporate lightbulbs or lighting fixtures. Set them up in key locations in your garden or hang them from a tree using old wire or clothes hangers. They are ideal for those romantic evening dinners in the garden.
Encourage nature
Have you taken up bird watching during lockdown? If so, get out your tools and craft a bird feeder. Or you could create a home for a hedgehog.
Again, these new mini homes can be simple or more complex depending on your skill level and the amount of time you have.
Fixing and repairing
Fixing garden benches, or replacing a panel in your lopsided fence, are some of the more mundane, basic outdoor jobs. Do you know what tools and material to use for these kinds of jobs? What kind of adhesive you should use on certain materials is paramount to effectively repairing and fixing. The right knowledge is important to choose an adhesive.
You need to know how to effectively clean up any spills or mistakes before jumping into a project. Cartridge guns are extremely helpful tools for all sorts of DIY projects.
Family projects
If you’re searching for something that the entire family can get involved in, look no further than Decoist’s handy 20 DIY projects with kids in mind. Feed children’s big imaginations this summer with mural designs, furniture ideas and crafty decorations.
Remember to try and reuse, repurpose and recycle what you can find around the house to incorporate an eco-friendly vibe into your crafts. Toilet paper rolls, bits of string, or old nail polish may come in very handy for an impromptu crafts session.
Benefits of outdoor DIY
A Breath of Fresh Air. Distract yourself from the monotony of work and watching TV. It’s easy during lockdown to get stuck in a rut, so a new project outside in the fresh air might be just the thing you need to spark your creativity. Challenge yourself, and choose something that takes a little longer to complete. All of your hard work will be worth it when you reveal your very own handmade garden bench. Being outdoors is proven to improve your mood and bring you closer to nature.
Rediscover old objects and transform them. During lockdown we have had time to reflect on our consumerism. Take a moment to look through all of your damaged or old objects lying around the house or gathering dust in the attic and attempt to find a new use for them. Maybe your old shoe boxes can be transformed into planter pots for the garden. Save up your old tins and glasses for terrariums and tomato plants galore. Restore any antiques that you have collected. Vintage furniture tends to be more durable than modern pieces and repairing old antiques is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and be more sustainable.
You’ll have fun! Whether your project turns out to be a success or not, you might have some unexpected fun along the way. Taking time out of your day to try something new helps to keep your brain active, and will challenge you to look outside the box. Get inspired by these awesome ideas! Whether you are just beginning to explore DIY outdoors, or you are a seasoned expert in the area, you will surely find something to kickstart your motivation!
Outdoor DIY is a whole new world as it presents so many opportunities and challenges to make you step outside of your comfort zone. Birdhouses, garden furniture, outdoor shelving, vegetable patches and wall art are only some of the imaginative ideas you can experiment with! Whatever you choose to do, whether it’s fixing a dilapidated old fence, or building your own garden furniture set from scratch, do your best and enjoy it.
