Patio Makeover Part 1

We aren't too kind to our patio. It's a smallish space into which we have crammed: a container garden, a cooking and eating space, craft storage, outdoor toys, and our chest freezer. We started pulling stuff out on Saturday....

... and continued moving/sorting/freecycling stuff today, since we still want to use the deck for all those things.... We've Freecycled a bookcase, a very weathered bench, a baby gate, a plastic toddler bike, and a big box of plant pots. We've taken out two basketsfull of garden trimmings, several armsfull of recycling, and several bags of garbage.

We also went out and bought a new barbeque (the old one we sort of inherited from friends finally gave up the ghost), and two Rubbermaid storage units -- one park-bench style unit and one VERY BIG storage box/bench:

Now there is a stack of plastic storage bins in one corner, next to that (and in front of the patio door/window) is the park-bench storage unit which holds all (well almost all) of kiddo's outdoor toys.

I moved my containers around (I finally gave up the carnations for dead -- they didn't really come back after all the snow) and made room along the other wall (between two drain pipes) for the BIG storage bench. I also decided to add more dirt to the one raised bed, after dividing it; the strawberries will stay at the front, and I can plant other stuff at the back. And,I'm going to try growing cherry tomatoes in hanging baskets this year.

Meanwhile, hubby has decided to turn a lot of the remaining "junk" -- wood scraps, plastic buckets, and who knows what -- into sculptures. I'm looking forward to the results!

So, there are no "after" photos yet... we still have to cart away some unusable scrap wood (termite-ridden!!! eeee!) and the old barbeque (and where does one take old propane tanks? Hmm...), build the new barbeque, and finish tidying the deck.... then I have to tackle the garden, hopefully next weekend. =PHEW=

I ache all over, but it's for a good cause.