Get your Yard Ready for Guests – Tips to Work Smarter not Harder

Getting your yard ready for guests can feel like an insurmountable task! Well, not with these simple tips to get your yard in shape. The key is to work smarter, not harder! Here in Arizona it is just down right hot! So working all day outside to get our yard ready for parties or gatherings is the last thing Matt or I want to do! Over the years, I have come up with some simple tips to make getting your yard ready for guests less work and more fun!

This post contains affiliate links (read my disclosure policy here), and is done in partnership with Wal Mart.

Get your Yard for Guests – Tips to Work Smarter not Harder

Here are my go to tips for whipping our yard into shape and some simple DIY projects to make your next gathering fabulous without a ton of work or money! Matt and I are at a very basic DIY level! Wal Mart has helped us improve our outdoor spaces with a few simple DIY projects that I know you will love for your home! They have everything you need to work smarter not harder and get you enjoying the rest of summer!

• Hose your patio, windows, furniture, bbq and plants off.

Use a long hose with a high powered spray nozzle. A long hose will allow you to reach every spot that needs cleaning without having to work harder to switch spouts or even switch hoses. Using a high powered nozzle really cleans things faster saving you time! No need to purchase an expensive power washer!

• Cover furniture to keep it clean.

After you hose down all of your outdoor furniture, cover it up with outdoor furniture covers until your party or gathering! This will protect them from any weather, dirt or accidents, so you don’t waste your time having to rewash them!

We have a little gathering at our home next week. In preparation, I hosed down all the yard and outdoor furniture. Even though there was no rain in the forecast, I covered the furniture just in case. Well wouldn’t you know, a crazy monsoon blew through last night leaving our yard with leaves and dirt covering everything! Because my furniture was covered, it saved me hours of hosing and scrubbing!

(Our backyard after the storm – good thing our furniture was covered!)

• Add simple lighting to your yard!

Lighting creates ambiance. However, lighting can also be expensive and time consuming to install. I worked smarter with some awesome lighting options at Wal Mart to add some light to a few spots in our yard.

First, I used these solar lights around our hedges in our backyard. They have a very simple assembly, pop them in the ground and you have light! No wires or electrician!

Second, Matt hung some string lights in our courtyard to add some charm to this little space. He used a few hooks and an extension cord to get them hung and did the project in about 30 min.

Third, use outdoor lanterns to add more light and warmth to your backyard or patio! So simple!

• Do a daily pool check.

Matt and I have found that if we stay on top of skimming and chlorinating our pool, we have to work less to keep it looking great! Have one of your kids skim out any leaves or debris daily. Then use a small chlorinator to keep your chemicals balanced.

• Add some indoor touches, outdoors.

It doesn’t take much to add some coziness to your outdoor spaces for your family and guests. Use outdoor pillows, throws, lanterns and trays to soften your outdoor furniture. Here are some of my favorite pieces to add some beauty to your outdoors living…

I hope these tips and simple DIY’s help you entertain in style and with ease this summer!