You’ve spent a lovely spring, summer, and autumn enjoying that glorious feeling of outdoor living. But as the days grow shorter and the air gets colder, you realize it’s time to start packing it in. Winter is coming, as they say. If you’re keen to still enjoy your outdoor space and keep it in excellent condition so it’s ready quickly and easily for spring, read on for a few tips on how to prepare your outdoor living room for winter.
Clean and Cover Your Furniture
Depending on your game plan, cleaning and covering your outdoor furniture will help keep your space looking tidy and new throughout the year.
Get yourself a nice bristled brush and start by brushing off any dust, dirt, pollen, or other unwanted hangers about on your wood, wicker, plastic, or metal furniture. A good brush will work on anything, and you only want to get rid of the bits and pieces before you wash – just be careful not to damage your wicker by brushing with too much force. If you have that beautiful, tightly weaved wicker that holds on to everything, don’t be afraid to use a can of compressed air or a vacuum to give it an extra clean.
After brushing, clean your furniture with soapy water on a cloth or sponge (you can use dish soap, it’s one of those treasures of cleaning we absolutely adore!), and don’t be afraid to give it a solid scrub on any of those pesky places where the grime doesn’t seem to want to leave.
Let your furniture dry and admire your handy work. If you’re planning to stay away from your outdoor living room during the winter, find yourself some furniture covers to keep them in good condition until they’re ready for spring, or even just to keep them protected between visits since your use of the space will likely be less frequent during the winter months.
Bring Outdoor Plants Indoors
When those cold months come knocking, bring outdoor plants indoors to keep them thriving until they can grace your outdoor living room again in spring. In order to do this without shocking your plants, there are a few steps you can take.
Spend a few days getting your plants used to a darker space by moving them into shadier areas outside before you bring them in. Pruning and debugging them outside will also benefit both your plants and your home before you bring your outdoor plants indoors. Find a place in your home where they can still get a helpful dose of sunlight and don’t overwater. For a more complete guide on how-to bring outdoor plants indoors, check out this article in Better Homes and Gardens.
Stay Toasty with a Winterized Fire Pit
Outdoor fire pits are wonderful during those lovely spring and lazy summer evenings, but they can be even more magical – and get even more of a workout – during the winter!
To prepare your fire pit for the winter, give it a good clean and scrub and make sure you have a proper cover to protect it and keep it dry if snow is in the almanac! If you use wood, be sure to have stock stored in a dry space so it’s ready when needed, and you won’t struggle to light it due to dampness.
Why not have a few cozy blankets in a basket at the ready to feel extra toasty during those magical winter social gatherings?
Patio Lighting
Patio lighting can be a beautiful addition to your winter outdoor living room. With night coming that much more swiftly during the winter months, LED patio lights can add warmth, coziness, and that extra sense of holiday joy.
There are a number of options to explore from wall lights to deck lighting, string lights, and more. With the correct design in mind, you can turn a cold outdoor living space into a cozy, welcoming winter wonderland.
Winterize Your Pool
Last on our list of tips for how to prepare your outdoor living room for winter is winterizing your pool. When you winterize your pool, it’s about more than just throwing on a cover and calling it a day. You have to prepare the water, prevent stains, algae, and scaling, brush, prepare the equipment, and more. Being sure you have the correct products on hand to give your pool the very best care you can is also paramount. For a detailed look at how to winterize your pool, check out our Dazzle Pool Closing Checklist.
Take your time to prep that living space so you can enjoy it through the colder winter months with warm patio lighting, cozy fire pits, and perfectly prepared seating. If you find yourself spending most of the winter indoors, your preparation will leave you feeling good, knowing you’ll have a perfect outdoor living room to come back to again and again once spring arrives.
For more ideas on what can make your outdoor living space just right, check out our article sharing our 6 tips for the perfect backyard living room!