The yard is not the first word that comes to mind when contemplating home improvements. People tend to put the majority of care on the inside of the house, especially in cold climates. It’s understandable given how much more time is spent indoors. We prioritize a cozy bedroom, functional kitchen, and stylish living room. Often times even finishing the basement takes precedence over any major landscaping.
The problem with focusing solely on the inside of the house is vitamin D deficiency. We thrive in the outdoors and it’s hard to convince your kids to go outside if you have a comfortable sectional and state of the art entertainment system.
The best way to incentivize your family to spend more time outdoors is by giving your yard a makeover. If the yard is more inviting, it will motivate you to have your morning coffee outside, plan more family BBQ’s, or just curl up with a book, as opposed to sitting in front of the TV, gorging yourself with salt and sugar.
Consider some of these yard makeovers that will inspire you to spend more time outside, you won’t regret it.
1) Garden
While it may seem like a lot of work, studies show that working your garden is therapeutic. It’s certainly a sure fire way to spend more time outside out of necessity. Depending on your personality, the items you can grow are limitless. You can plant flower beds and give your yard a splash of bright, beautiful color. Alternatively, there are few things more satisfying than eating homegrown produce, it will save you on groceries too.
2) Swimming Pool
A sure fire way to get your kids in the yard is building a swimming pool. With a nice stonework to compliment with a waterfall, you will not be adverse to joining and enjoying the ambiance, even if you’re not in the mood to take a dip.
3) Deck
A brand new deck and BBQ is great motivation to have dinner outside and host weekend BBQ’s. To ensure optimal use, make sure you don’t skimp on the lawn furniture. A comfortable inviting patio set is the difference between your kids running back inside as soon as they’re done eating and spending quality time with you.
4) Pergola
Pergolas are a great option to entertain without breaking the bank on an expensive deck. They add a lot of visual pleasure to the yard, which can be enhanced by intertwining vines all around it and hanging plants around the exterior and even inside. Pergolas are an ideal complement to a beautiful garden.
5) Swing set
If you have young kids, putting in a swing set will ensure they are getting plenty of sun, fresh air, and exercise. You’ll also be forced to spend more time outside by default, in order to monitor them. All the more reason to make sure you incorporate comfortable loungers.
6) Relaxing Features
It’s important to incorporate relaxing features to ensure your garden is serene and provides a pleasurable environment. Calming scents are vital to relaxation; incorporate fragrant plants like lavender. Audio elements are also important, running water is very soothing. This can be incorporated by building a waterfall, however, a more budget-friendly option would be to purchase or build a fountain.
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