The leaves are beginning to change and the temperatures are dropping which makes this time of year a favorite for many to use their outdoor living space. Many homeowners enjoy spending time outdoors during the fall season and can get the most use from their outdoor living spaces with just a few adjustments from the summer season. In order to make your own backyard more usable, check out these tips for preparing your outdoor living space for fall.

1. Find Comfort with Fire

Many homeowners love fall because it means that you can spend more time outdoors without the constant need for sunscreen or dealing with those annoying summer bugs. However, sometimes the cooler weather conditions can bring a chill in the air. There is something so iconic and comforting about circling up around a warm fire during the fall season. Consider this fire pit chat set that will warm guests while also providing enough comfort to sit back and relax with some hot tea or coffee. The fire pit can be easily covered up when not in use making the table available for a relaxing game of checkers or as a spot to serve appetizers as well.

2. Make Use of Leaves

Many homeowners see falling leaves and think that the best solution is to rake them up and discard them. However, a great fall lawn care tip is using those falling leaves as a natural way to provide extra nutrients to your lawn and garden. Instead of throwing out this natural resource, consider using those leaves as mulch for your lawn or garden beds. Rent a leaf mulcher to finely chop the leaves to use over the lawn or spread them around plants in your outdoor living space. Prepare your outdoor living space by having a plan for falling leaves in order to provide a natural and free resource to your outdoor living area.

3. Add an Interesting Heat Source

If you’d rather not add a fire to your outdoor living space, or possibly live in an area that bans open flames, consider this propane patio heater as an added heating source. This will not only add an extra boost of heat to your outdoor area but the included LED lighting will provide an additional layer of color and interest to boost the overall atmosphere. Guests will be drawn to it on cooler nights as well as enjoy the colorful light display that it offers. The large heating radius of this item will help to add a wider range of heat in order to make sure that all guests are warm and toasty when the air gets chilly.

4. Store Summer Items

For those items that have had their fair share of time out in the sun this season, like extra pillows and pool toys, consider storing them in these Hanover Storage Boxes that offer a stylish solution for outdoor storage. These 3 boxes are weather resistant making them a great option for storing outdoor items from rain, snow, and sun until warmer weather arrives next year. They also provide a sleek addition to any outdoor living space and make the overall area more organized. Stack them for an added display of interest and shape or use them in multiple spots around the backyard for easy access to stored items.

5. Overseed Your Lawn

Summer can take a toll on your lawn, causing some of your grass to die and thin out. This is particularly common in warmer regions of the country like Texas and Arizona, but occurs in cooler regions as well. Overseeding, according to Wikilawn, involves “filling in bare spots or plant grass seed in a thinned yard to restore a lush green look.” If your lawn has warm season grasses, you can use rye grass to overseed. If your lawn uses cool season grasses, simply use whatever seed of grass your lawn currently has.

6. Use All-Weather Furniture

Depending on your location, your fall season may be very mild and feel only slightly different from summer or it could be drastically different with rapidly falling temperatures. Choosing furniture that will stand up to any kind of weather, like this All-Weather Adirondack Chair, is a great option to make sure that the elements don’t harm outdoor seating options. This chair would be great to add on a front porch or patio and can even be ordered in a wide variety of colors to perfectly compliment your home’s color scheme. An added bonus is that these chairs can be used with or without the footrest with a special hide-away option making them even more useful for your outdoor living space.

Fall is a great time to continue using your outdoor living space. Watch the changing colors of the leaves as well as the beautiful plants in your yard that bloom during this cooler season. Extend the time that you spend outdoors by considering these tips for preparing your outdoor living space for fall.

Tori Fuller is a DIY enthusiast, taking any renovation project she can get her hands on and turning it into a luxury item to envy. When she doesn’t have her hands in a tin of paint you can find her perfecting her nature photography techniques.