Oh, summer, what took you so long? Well, the fact that summer always happens at the same time of year, obviously. However, if treacherous weather has kept you indoors during many recent months, now’s a great opportunity to get outside and make the most of summer.
If the season has rather crept up on you, you might not have prepared for it thoroughly – but, thankfully, with the right DIY projects, you can do exactly that.
Outdoor wooden seating
If you intend to use your outdoor spaces for large gatherings, then allowing for copious seating is a must. There are a few creative ideas that you could consider here. Family Handyman suggests making an outdoor bench with oversized armrests on which you could comfortably leave drinks.
You could make that bench out of lumber or a rot-resistant alternative, like cedar or cypress. You could even build a bench around a tree; This Old House shows how that could work.
Rainy-day doghouse
Despite the typical warmth and brightness of summer, you can never be quite sure when a drizzle might break out, with your dog caught in it. If your “canine” believes the prices of decent, ready-made doghouses, you can make your own that looks more “woof” than rough.
Just take a plastic storage bin, cut a small hole into it to create an entryway, and then flip that bin on its head before adding a dog bed. The result will look sensational… or should we say “Alsatian-al”?
Copper wind chimes
Nature often creates its own enchanting music; just think of birds singing and the soothing sound of waves coming onto the shore. The wind is waiting to make music in your garden, so help out Mother Nature by creating a rudimentary wind chime from a copper pipe.
Cut that pipe into various lengths, drill two holes in one end of each length, and then thread fishing lines through those gaps so that you can tie individual pipes to a wooden base to be hung high.
Create a dedicated space for hanging wet towels and bathing suits
If you love swimming, you’ll be delighted to know that you no longer have to do it just at your local leisure centre; natural waters will now be warm enough to comfortably swim in! Still, however you swim, you should set aside somewhere to place used towels and bathing suits at your home.
Just outside the entry door, for example, you could attach study hooks from which those swimming essentials could be hung until they dry – after which point, you could shake sand off them indoors.
Clean gutters and downspouts
If you didn’t do this during the spring, get it sorted as soon as possible, Family Handyman urges. If leaves and debris are left to clog up your gutter, you could soon see leaks and siding damage.
If a ceiling in your home appears to be leaking already, call a local roofing firm, such as a York roofing company if you live in North Yorkshire.
