I had so much fun sprucing my yard up for the 4th, I wanted to find some fun, affordable things I could do to keep making it a more and more desirable place to spend time with family and friends. Check out all the awesome ideas I found!
Get Crafty with Your Fence
Cool backyard ideas don’t have to be expensive to have that “wow” factor. All you need is a drill, several different sizes of multi-colored marbles, and a rubber mallet for this cute DIY project. Your backyard will be illuminated with color when the sun hits just right!
Try Xeriscaping
Reduce water usage when you xeriscape your green space. This budget-friendly backyard landscaping idea is easy to do, requires minimum maintenance, and saves you on water all while giving your yard major appeal and adding value to your property!
Some of my favorite succulents and cactus:
- Burro’s Tail
- Haworthia Cooperi
- Aloe
- Opunita ‘Pina Colada’
A great website to visit for both plants is: mountaincrestgardens.com
Make a Portable Bar
Load your cart up with glasses, small appetizer plates, a pitcher for lemonade or water, and an array of snacks to have a convenient fueling station right in your backyard. And if it starts to rain, you can easily transport it inside to keep the party going! Later, use it as a potting table for plants, or make two, like me 🙂 
Click on the link below for the materials and instructions to build this adorable outdoor table.
Outdoor Bar / Potting Bench / BBQ Prep Station
Cozy Fire Pit
The best backyard designs are the ones that include a fire pit! Show off your DIY skills by building your own fire pit out of wall stones with this simple tutorial, or find a metal one that’s also budget-friendly. Make sure that you include ample seating around your fire pit for roasting marshmallows!
Comfy Seating
Outdoor seating is one of the most important features to include in your backyard transformation. Large outdoor pillows, benches, and rocking chairs are all fantastic pieces to create a cozy space for you and your guests to relax. For a great cheap outdoor seating idea, make your own day bed with a wooden pallet.
String Up Some Mood Lighting
If you’re looking to have one of the most beautiful backyards on the block, invest in outdoor lighting. Drape string lights down from a pergola or across your outdoor living space to give it a starry-night feel. You can also line any patio or garden path with torches and lanterns for soft lighting.
DIY Lighting ideas – Ping Pong Ball Lights
Adding glow-in-the-dark pigments to stones and walkways is a fun touch!
Outdoor torches made from wine bottles and house hold objects!
Create Shade
A pergola is a definitely in the plans for my dream backyard! Clear out an area on a deck or in your yard and build your own pergola with this guide from DIY Network. Planning to spend a lot of time outside with your backyard remodel? Add curtains for extra shade to create the ultimate outdoor living room!
Lay a Path
A garden isn’t necessary for this DIY backyard transformation idea! Put down materials like mulch, bricks, or stones to create a clear path from your house to the pool or playhouse in your backyard. You can also include a little flair to your pathway by adding yard decorations like glow-in-the-dark rocks or garden stakes!
Set Up a Backyard Theater
Grab the popcorn and appreciate the outdoors with this backyard makeover idea! Add a few blankets, large pillows, and string lights for a comfortable theater ambiance, and hook up a projector and screen to watch all of your favorite flicks right in your yard! This DIY screen is a cheap and easy way to create the ultimate backyard viewing experience.
Summer crafts for bored kids are always a good thing, and making things with your own two hands is more enjoyable in the end! Happy summer building, playing and partying to you and your loved ones!
