Ahhh, crisp breezes, fallen leaves, bonfires with your favorite hoodie on … isn’t it great? Just kidding, it’s still a hundred degrees in the shade here in Florida, and don’t even get me started on the humidity. But! Fall is coming — for most of us. And, it’s a glorious time for those of us who love football, pumpkin spice, and the ensuing spooky season. It’s also a lot of work because there are pools to close, yards to clean up, and patios, balconies, decks, and backyards to winterize.
This list is all about preparing your outdoor space for the cooler days ahead. I’ve got rakes and leaf blowers for those necessary chores; covers for your furniture and faucets; and, tools to protect your gear (and your floors inside). That’s not all, though, because while the temperatures are starting to dip, it’s still warm enough for some outdoor fun. Peep the fun seasonal decor and several things that’ll warm you right up.
Leaf Me Alone
We might as well get the work out of the way first. If you’ve got a yard, you’ve got leaves. And, if you’ve got leaves, you’re going to have to rake them. This rake has 5.4-inch, heavy-duty tines, a comfort grip handle, and a telescoping handle that extends up to 35 inches. The best part is that it bears the name of everyone’s favorite home expert — Martha Stewart (although I’m betting she doesn’t rake her own leaves).
That Blows
If you prefer a more violent form of lawn care, then you need a leaf blower, and this one is small but mighty. Weighing in at a mere 3.9 pounds and costing less than $20, this gadget is great for sweeping patios, driveways, decks, and garages with a six-amp motor and air speeds up to 155 miles per hour. Heck, your kids might even want to get in on this fun.
Furniture Under Cover
The moment is going to come when it’s time to cover the patio furniture and it’ll be a sad day indeed. But, it’ll be even sadder if you don’t protect your investment when Spring rolls around and you discover it’s in bad shape. This heavy-duty furniture cover is windproof, tear-resistant, and UV-resistant. It’s designed to protect everything from coffee tables and benches to dining sets and sofas. Measure your pieces to pick the right size.
Boxed In
If you’ve got a deck box to protect your gear, you probably think you’ve done enough. This deck box cover from YardStash offers an extra layer of protection, keeping it protected from wind, rain, snow, and even critters looking for an escape from the weather. Made from UV-protected and heat-shielding ripstop fabric, this cover will actually extend the life of your deck box.
Get Ready For A Heat Wave
I’m one of those weird people who like to sit outside even when the weather is less than ideal (not with a foot of snow on the ground, O.K.? Let’s not get carried away). This portable patio heater extends the life of your outdoor spaces by keeping you comfortable while you enjoy your deck, garage, or patio even longer. This has three heat modes so you can find just the right setting.
Close The Door
There are few things I love more than being able to open the windows or doors to let some fresh air in. This magnetic thermal insulated door curtain does double duty, allowing you to keep a door open for enjoyment (or pets who wander indoors and out) while keeping your air conditioning or heat inside where it belongs (which keeps your energy bills low).
Tapped Out
There are lots of things that need to be winterized in preparation for cooler weather, but one thing that may get forgotten is an outdoor faucet. This faucet cover is a lot like a sock (a waterproof sock, that is) for protecting your outdoor faucets from freezing and bursting, which can save on costly repairs. Trust me, you’d rather spend $7 on this than hundreds on having a technician come out.
Deploy The Airbag
When I first saw this product, I thought it was a toy but then I did some more reading and discovered it’s an airbag for protecting your patio furniture. With this in place, it fills in the low points of your outdoor pieces to create a dome-shaped surface that eliminates little lakes and debris from setting on top of your cover. An inflator adapter is included for easier prep.
Can’t Take The Heat
Out of sight, out of mind? Your body will thank you for installing this wall-mounted electric patio heater, which sits gloriously out of the way but reminds you it’s there thanks to its cozy temperature control. Mount it vertically or horizontally to fit your space, and control it with the included remote to cycle through three heat settings. It’s waterproof, too.
Light Up The Night
Nobody wants to sit outside in total darkness and these outdoor string lights are the perfect way to light up the night and look chic while doing it. Featuring 24 feet of LED lights in a vintage-inspired style, these lights were specially designed to withstand the elements. They also have a longer lifespan than regular incandescent string lights and use less power, which will save you money.
It’s The Pits
I don’t have a dedicated yard so I also don’t have room for a traditional fire pit. (I also really don’t want to take care of a traditional fire pit.) This tabletop fire pit gives you the effects of a regular fire pit without all the extra work. The marble heat helps the heat dissipate and it can be fueled with multiple types of alcohol fuels.
Light My Fire
Fine! You want a large fire pit? Here you go. This one is a great buy at less than $50 and comes with both a mesh lid and a fire poker. It’s designed to be both small but spacious, allowing plenty of room for people to gather around it with hot dogs or marshmallows on sticks. This is made from rust-resistant steel and temperature-resistant paint for years of use.
Winter Is Coming
If you have a pool at home, you’re fortunate … and you’re also busy because they’re a lot of work both in-season and out. This chlorine-free winter kit includes all the chemicals you need for closing your pool for the season while making the transition to opening it in the spring even simpler. No chlorine means no harsh chemicals “attacking” your pool during the winter. This kit works for pools of all sizes.
Mat About You
If you find yourself screaming, “Wipe your feet!”, a hundred times a week (day?), you need to place these functional outdoor floor mats in strategic locations. The ribbed material helps messy Bessies scrap the dirt and debris from their shoes before traipsing through your house and they’re simple to clean by shaking, sweeping, or hosing off any junk it picks up.
A Rare Bird
Do you entertain a lot of birds in your yard? This bird bath heater is made from die-cast aluminum with a thermostatically-controlled waterproof design that’ll provide fresh water to your feathered friends year-round. It also means you don’t have to winterize your bird bath and then get it ready again for warmer weather. This deicer is rock-shaped so that it won’t freak your birds out.
Pitch A Tent
If you need an all-season storage solution for gear like bicycles, outdoor toys, pool supplies, or other outdoor stuff, this storage tent assembles and disassembles simply with no tools required. The tent is made from a fiberglass frame and is covered by a waterproof rip-stop tarp, but the best part is its small size that fits neatly into a corner of your backyard.
What Did The Fox Say?
Everything to prepare you for fall doesn’t have to be functional; sometimes, it just needs to be fun. This metal fox statue welcomes the season in hues of brown, orange and red with small leaves all over. It would look just darling positioned in a garden or greeting guests at your front door. Reviews rave about the quality construction and attention to the smallest detail.
Happy Fall, Y’all
These vertical signs for the front door have become all the rage over the past few years (at least according to what I’m seeing on social media) and this fall-themed one is the perfect choice to usher in the season. Standing six feet tall and just nine inches wide, it’ll fit in most spaces. Add a couple of pumpkins and your fall decorating is complete.
Pillow Talk
I love pillows. I’m a woman after all, and I think it’s in our DNA. These pillow covers are perfect for spicing up your outdoor space for fall and are easy to pack away since the inserts can be removed to stuff another cover as the seasons change. This four-pack includes the cover picture as well as a pumpkin-striped option and two others that say, “Hello, pumpkin.”
Snuggle Up
If you’re going to spend time outdoors as the temperature drops, you’re going to want all the cozy finds. This rustic Buffalo check blanket comes in a variety of colors and has fringe detailing for the perfect fall throw. These come in a generous 50 inches by 60 inches so you can even share the love with someone else (or not).
Candle In The Wind
There’s no wrong time of the year for candles but there’s something about the glow of them in the cooler months that adds a certain ambiance. These candles are flameless with LED lights inside a seasonal brown glass vase. They come in a set of three with different sizes and a remote so that you can control the action. These would be perfect inside carved pumpkins, too.
Turn Into A Pumpkin
If Cinderella had a pumpkin like this, her fairy godmother might never have turned it into a carriage. This personalized light-up pumpkin can be customized with your family name and initial … and it’s a whole lot less messy than carving a real pumpkin. These come in four different colors and three sizes so you can mix and match to your heart’s content.