Prepare Your Patio for the Holidays

Most of the time, we here at Boot Bomb like to venture outdoors. And we do, many weeks out of the year. As much fun as it is to thru-hike a double-digit trail with a few days of camping in between, it can really take the wind out of you. Even me and my girl like to stay home from time to time. So that’s why we’re busting out the decorations for our patio right now. We’re having some friends over soon!

If, like us, you are planning to host holiday festivities, or just decorate for fun, you need to make sure your home is ready for merrymaking. You may need to invest in holiday decor and do some cleaning, so give yourself plenty of time to accomplish everything you need to do to prepare your home for the holidays.

During a party, people tend to gather in the kitchen and outside. This article will give you the tips you need to make your patio an inviting and fun place to hang out. If your patio is visible to the neighborhood, others will be charmed by the joyful atmosphere you created around your home.

Decorating your patio can be an enjoyable activity, especially if you recruit friends or family to help out. Make sure to get some great outdoor speakers. Do some research online for some good ones and various other audio equipment. You may choose to decorate with store-bought items or choose to save money and make your own decorations.

Either way, a cheery and bright patio will help your guests to feel the magic of the holidays. So, let’s get going!

What You Need To Do To Prepare That Patio For The Holidays

Before the fun decorating times can begin, you most likely need to do some cleaning. Make sure you tackle these tasks:

• Spiderwebs: Unless your party’s theme is Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas, remove all spiderwebs and spiders before you decorate.
• Declutter: You only need necessary items on your patio, such as furniture, a grill, decorations, and maybe some plants. If you have been using your patio for storage, find another place for your stuff during the holidays.
• Sweep and Dust: If your patio has been sitting untouched for a while, you should complete this task weekly heading up to your party. Then, sweep and dust the day of festivities too. A clean patio is inviting and will bring out the best of your tasteful decor.
• Dog Poop: If your patio or yard around your patio includes your pet’s bathroom, make sure every little bit is cleaned up and all odors are absent.
• Clean the grill: Even if you will not be using it, a clean grill is more attractive. If you are grilling, guests may be grossed out when they see their food being cooked on top of a thick layer of grease and grime. Also, be mindful of vegetarian and vegan guests at your party by cooking vegetables or veggie burgers on a designated section of your clean grill.
• Clean the furniture: No one wants to sit on a stained crusty patio cushion.
• Fire Pit: If you are lucky enough to have a fire pit or fireplace on your patio, make sure it is clean before your party. Remove all the old ashes and wipe down the outer surfaces.
• Plants: Keep the plants watered. You will be busy preparing for the holiday fun, so do not forget to water your patio plants. Keep them fresh and beautiful to be admired by you and your guests.
• Concrete: Wash the concrete on your patio. Hosing it down may be enough, but if your patio has moss growing on it or years of built-up grime, you may need a pressure washer or some elbow grease. If you live where it gets icy, make sure you keep the patio from freezing using a de-icer.
• Lights: Make sure the lights work properly unless you plan on having only ambient lighting from string lights.

Things You Need To Prepare Your Patio For The Holidays

After your patio has been thoroughly cleaned, you can start buying or making the things you need for your patio:

• Decorations! Here comes the fun bit of the holidays – decorating! If you already have a hoard of festive decor, it is time to bring it out and have some fun. If you are lacking, then it is time to go to the store. Here are some necessary decor ideas for patios:
• String Lights
• Festive doormat
• Evergreen garland
• Ribbons
• Mini Christmas trees (or Rosemary cut like a tree)
• Scented pine cones in decorative baskets
• Signs or chalkboards
• Holiday themed pillows and throws

If you live where it is cold during the Holidays, you will need to get a heater if you plan to have people on your patio. Your guests will be grateful.

There are tons of fun games you can buy or make up yourself. Whether it is a holiday themed game or not, having games available on your patio will bring your festivities up a notch. Here are a few to consider:

• Darts
• Minute to Win It, Christmas edition
• Candy Cane Game
• Holiday themed deck of cards – for all kinds of games
• Corn Hole
• Jingle Bell Pong (alcoholic or not)
• Giant Jenga
• Twister
• Ladder Golf
• Giant Connect Four

If you have not heard of some of these games, look them up. You will be glad you did. These games are great for kids and adults too!

Tips For Decorating Your Small Apartment Patio

If you live in an apartment, chances are your patio has minimal space. This will limit the number of decorations and patio furniture you can have, while still having room for guests to hang out. Here are some tips to decorate a small space for the holidays:

• Use wall space strategically. Open up the floor space by hanging signs and garland on walls and placing larger items, like mini trees, on shelves or secured to the railing. Attaching lattice to the walls can add surface area for more decorations.
• Put lights up high, overhead, as well as around the railing
• If your patio is full of plants, consider switching to a vertical garden.
• When it comes to patio furniture, consider a long bench, a couple of small tables, and a couple of chairs.
• Make use of the balcony railing. Decorate the railing with lights and garland. Hang bulbs, ribbons, string beads, and ornaments from it.
• If there is a window looking out to the patio, make it a framed place for decorations. For example, you can use ribbon to hang bulbs of varying sizes and colors down the glass and frame it with a thick ribbon.

Tips To Decorate For The Holidays On A Budget

• Use free evergreen branches instead of buying them. Many tree lots and farms have scrap that they do not need and would be willing to let you have it. You can use it to make wreaths, garland, and other decors.
• Wrap empty boxes to use as decoration. Instead of wrapping paper, turn paper bags inside out and use it to wrap the boxes. Instead of using bows and ribbon, tie boxes with twine and use a sprig of evergreen as a bow.
• Hang Christmas bulbs from the ceiling with fishing line or hook them to string lights or garland.
• This will add color and shine to your patio. You can also display bulbs in large glass jars with mini string lights that are battery-powered.
• Get crafty and make decorations yourself. There are tons of DIY Christmas craft ideas online. Make it fun and get the family or your friends involved to help make decorations.
• Collect pine cones! If they are on the ground, chances are that the squirrels are done with them. Pine cones make great festive decor with endless possibilities. They can be hung from lights, garland, railings, or the ceiling. Pile them nicely in a decorated basket to display. Put pine cones in a large vase with small battery string lights for display. Pine cones are an awesome and free way to decorate for the holidays!