You have survived the summer heat (mostly). Your backyard looks like a hoard of monkeys has gone bananas. Toys are scattered in the yard, flower buds are hanging on to the vines by sheer threads and willpower, and there's a patch of dead grass where your blow-up pool has been for months. You feel the approaching change of the season, and the subsequent need to put summer things away. That's the whole point of Autumn, isn't it? To harvest what is still alive and thriving in your life and to lay to rest what isn't serving you anymore. Below are some housekeeping ideas for your patio and backyard in order to prepare for the new season ahead.

Yard Games: Take inventory of lawn game pieces. Have all of your Cornhole beanbags survived, or did any get lost to the void? Have your puppies chewed up any of the Ring-Toss rings? If any of your games have their own storage box or bag, locate them. If not, invest in some weather tight totes in appropriate sizes.

Pool Toys: Start by pulling all your pool toys out onto the lawn to dry in the sun. Packing anything away while still wet can cause mold and damage (we've all learned this the hard way at some point). Pack away small items (diving toys, water guns) in small bins. (Something like this that has ventilation would double as suitable storage during the summer when the toys are getting frequent use!) Let all the air out of floaties, and once dry, fold and store in a weathertight tote.

BBQ Items: You might still be using your bbq and grilling items through football season (autumn is the BEST time to grill here in Texas), but this in-between is a good time to take stock of what you have and what you may need to replace. If you've got rusty or broken utensils, toss them and start a list of what you need to replace. Boxes of foil or parchment paper that are down to the last two inches can be tossed (please. You'll feel better, I promise). Disposable foil pans that have no matching lid or are bent out of shape can be tossed as well.

Coolers: Old faithful went with you on every road trip and every Saturday-at-the-lake, and she needs some TLC. Spray her down with the hose and some all-purpose cleaning spray and leave her in the sun to dry before putting her on a shelf for her seasonal hibernation (or before you host your friends for that one big game. Nobody wants soda cans from a dirty cooler.).

Sunscreen and Bug Spray: Check expiration dates on your bottles of sunscreen and after-sun lotions. Toss what is expired, and consider going ahead and stocking up for next season if you have room to store new bottles. If the bottle is mostly empty, we give you permission to toss it (again, you'll feel better, I promise). Rinse and repeat on your stock of bug spray.

Pool Bags and Towels: You might have a dedicated bag or two that you keep stocked and ready to take to the pool. Empty it out and throw away all rubbish (snack wrappers surely made their way in here instead of the trash can at some point). Throw towels and swimsuits in the laundry to wash, and sort any miscellaneous items. You may find that pair of earrings you've been searching for for months!

Outdoor Upholstry: You (well, your littles) have spent countless hours running and jumping and crashing onto your outdoor furniture, spilling anything and everything onto the rugs and cushions and generally being hooligans. Be honest about the state of your patio upholstery. The sun-bleached and stained-beyond-hope can be laid to rest.

Remove Dead Plants and Rusty Tools: Fall is an important season in the rhythm of life. It's a time where the old dies and the earth rests so that new life can spring up again in a few months. Your garden had its heyday during spring and summer, but now the plants in all their color and glory have wilted. Take some time to weed, dead-head, and uproot in your garden and flower beds. The lush and green flowers were beautiful in their season, but the freshly cleared and tilled ground will possess a beauty, too, of expectation and hope of what's to come.

Hose Reel or Pot: Keep your water hose tidy by coiling it up with a hose reel or keeping it in a pot like this or this. Voila, no more unsightly and unruly (or kinky!) hose.

Potting Station: If you're a gardener, you may have a dedicated potting station in your yard or on your porch. Spend some time cleaning it up. Take stock of bags of potting soil and seal them appropriately. Wipe clean the work surface. Shake out your gloves and stack them all together. Organize and neatly stack your pots in preparation for the next round of planting.

Shoe Storage: Consider a shoe rack for your tennis shoes and any kid-sports-related footwear. No more tripping over rogue shoes on the floor or wasting time searching for a missing half to your favorite pair.

Waterproof Bags or Bins: If you've taken inventory of your patio furniture and decided your cushions have lived to fight another day, consider investing in some water-proof storage bags or weathertight bins (can you tell we favor these?) so that the upholstery makes it through the fall and winter as well.

Vehicle Garage: I found this on the internet a while back, and I think it’s genius. If your kiddos have bikes, scooters, and/or Barbie Jeeps, this DIY Garage is for you. It’s basically a designated parking spot for each of your kid-sized vehicles. Building the garage can be a cool activity for the whole family to get involved in, and the end result is a specific home for specific stuff. #Organized. If you don’t have space, time, or budget for a whole garage, simply use some masking tape or duct tape on the garage or patio floor to demarcate “parking spaces.” (Here’s a link for a second, slightly different garage.)

Trunks: Outdoor trunks are a great all-around storage solution for decks and patios. You shouldn't expect total weather- and bug-proof-ability, but they will keep the worst of the elements at bay. Store here items that can weather the weather and that you don't necessarily need to stay completely clean, like sandbox toys and gardening tools. Never store organic materials (soil, pet food, or items with food residue like camping utensils). You can also add in some cedar blocks, lavender sachets, or diatomaceous earth, or weekly spray a diluted solution of peppermint oil to organically deter bugs. Monitor and inspect the trunk bi-weekly for leaks or pest nests.

Don't settle for single-use furniture. Look for dual-purpose storage that fits with your needs and aesthetic. Find a sweet bench whose seat lifts up for storage, or find an ottoman with a hollowed out center.

Metal Racks: Although these metal racks are not the most handsome storage solution, they are quite practical. The shelf height is adjustable, so they can fit any number of items that need to be organized, from big totes to shop-vacs to shoes. If you're more interested in practical than aesthetic storage, we recommend a troupe of these racks.

Stand-Alone Sheds: This option requires some investment and some space. But if you've got the means, a small shed on your property can be a huge boon. Whether you need to store large bins of holiday decor, yard tools and mowers, or large toys, you can make this solution whatever you want it to be. Add a mini-split to keep you comfortable in hot weather and paint the outside to complement your home's exterior.

While you're in the backyard, take a lap around the house and grounds with your upcoming holiday decor in mind.

-Are there light hooks along the gutters that are barely hanging on or are rusted?

-Is the ground still level where you usually put up your Frosty the Snowman blow-up?

-Are there wasp nests around the eaves that need to be taken care of before you get on a ladder to put up garland?

It's ok to grieve the passing of summer. I always do. But Fall has its own fun and special events to look forward to. Giving your backyard a clean sweep can help prepare you for the next season—physically, mentally, and emotionally. Relive the Summer backyard memories you made as you clean and reestablish order, and look joyfully ahead to what Autumn may bring.

As always, if you think you would like some help reestablishing that backyard order (or order to any room in your house!), contact Whitney at hello@simplifiedaustin.com to start a conversation. We'll bring along our PSLs and lean hard into the Autumn clean-sweep vibe.

Fall backyard housekeeping

pack away summer stuff

housekeeping

tidy the yard

storage

prep for holiday decorating