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Last Updated on August 27, 2023 by lindseymahoney
You are watching: 25+ Easy Outdoor DIY Projects to Try This Year
As I write this blog post I am sitting on my back porch enjoying one of the first warm days of Spring. I love when I am able to work on outdoor DIY projects that improve the look of our home while also enjoying the fresh air.
Last year we tackled a bunch of small and easy DIY projects in our backyard that are super simple and budget-friendly, who doesn’t like that?!
Here are a handful of great outdoor projects for you to try this year!
Easy Outdoor Projects for DIY Beginners
1 | Build Charming Brick Border Edging Around a Garden
I think every house we have lived in has a random stack of bricks somewhere in the yard. If the same is true for you, this project is perfect!
If you don’t have a stack of random bricks in your backyard, check out Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, or even ask friends/family.
We used our bricks to build a border around a few of our flower beds and it went perfectly with our English garden design plans.
My mother-in-law gave me this hydrangea bush when she was thinning out her own flower beds and I can’t believe how well it did with a major transplant.
This picture was taken one year after planting it in our garden.
After the first brick border was installed, we decided to add brick garden edging to another flower bed nearby.
2 | Paint Your Electric Meter Box
This outdoor project is an easy DIY and it is affordable, too. Our electrical meter is right in the middle of our garden and is quite distracting.
I decided to spray paint the same color as our house to camouflage the meter, which helps it to blend in with the background.
Our electric meter is no longer the star of the show. As our plants fill in over the next few years, the meter will become even more camouflaged.
After just a year of growth, our garden has gotten pretty big and I barely even notice the electric meter.
3 | Divide and Share Hardy Perennials
Planting a garden doesn’t have to break the bank.
Most perennials can easily be transplanted to other areas of your yard and even split in half to double your own plants or share with friends.
Peony bushes are a stunning addition to gardens and are great hardy perennials for sharing with friends.
4 | Create New Flower Beds in Your Yard
Hosta is one of my favorite perennials to add to flower beds. They are so hardy and come in a variety of colors.
5 | DIY Compost Station
This outdoor DIY project is affordable and great for beginners who want to start composting!
This is the first Spring where we can use our DIY compost station and it is perfect for our vegetable garden.
We put all of our kitchen scraps, plenty of yard scraps, and even some chicken poop to get the best compost for our garden.
6 | Build Your Own Flower Garden
Last summer we started building our English garden during the COVID lockdown. It was a great distraction at the beginning of the pandemic.
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I designed the garden layout to include materials and plants generally found in English gardens, like pea gravel and brick edging. Each year I will add more plants and the beds will soon fill in.
7 | Build a Garden Path
Adding natural walkways in your backyard or garden brings so much character to the outside of your home.
For this pea gravel pathway, I mapped out the location, laid down a weed barrier, and then filled in the walkway with gravel. A truckload of pea gravel was less than $50.
8 | Simple Raised Garden Box DIY
We have built three raised garden boxes in our backyard and our vegetables do so well! Check out this easy DIY if you want to add a few raised garden beds to your yard.
9 | Paint an In-Ground Pool
Do you own an in-ground pool that needs to be painted every few years? Check out how we saved thousands of dollars by painting our own pool!
10 | Add Brick Pavers Around Your Pool Skirt
I recently added a brick border to our concrete pool skirt and it adds so much charm! This outdoor DIY project was affordable and is doable for beginner DIY’ers.
11 | Upcycle an Old Iron Arbor
There are so many places to find affordable outdoor decor, including on the curb!
We found this old iron arbor that was a little rusty set out with someone’s garbage and we quickly snatched it up to use in our backyard.
With a little sanding a spray paint, this beautiful arbor looks new again.
You can find outdoor decor for great prices at thrift stores, estate sales, and Facebook marketplace.
12 | Paint Your Front Door
Adding a pop of color to your front door or painting the chipped concrete on your porch can make your exterior more welcoming and put together.
This DIY project is great for beginners and is affordable too!
We freshened up the exterior of our Toledo flip house property with lots of paint.
13 | Swap out Dated Porch Lights
Porch lights are like the eyes of your home. Updating the light fixture can completely change the look of a dated entryway.
14 | Update House Numbers
This is an easy update that can be done by purchasing new modern numbers or spray painting the existing ones.
My personal favorite update for older homes is hanging a plaque with your full address next to the door.
The plaques give a stately feel and are perfect for older homes. If your home is historically registered, display that plaque as well!
15 | Paint an Old Concrete Patio
The concrete patio in our backyard is in rough shape. We decided to tackle a quick paint DIY and update our cracked patio with paint.
In three days we power-washed our patio, filled in the cracks, primed the concrete, and gave it a fresh coat of gray paint. It looks 100% better with a fresh coat of paint and a clean surface!
16 | Create a Mini Herb Garden
We did a lot of outdoor DIY projects at our first home, particularly in the backyard.
After building a new deck, I hung little planters on the railing to hold our kitchen herbs. This is a super simple project that looked beautiful and added function to our house.
17 | Create Natural Screening with Plants
Planting trees and large shrubs is a great way to hide unsightly areas of your home. We planted multiple arborvitaes to camouflage a pink, chain-linked fence at our first home.
18 | Replace Dated Glass Windows
This can be an inexpensive update and makes a big difference. In our previous home, the front door was sandwiched between two yellow-tinted, diamond-glass windows.
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We replaced the glass with a regular window and not only did it get rid of the dated feel, but it also brought more light into the front entrance of our home. This cost us about $400.
19 | Powerwash Your House
Wash away the grime on your home with a good power wash.
And while you are at it, wash your windows too! When windows are clean, they let in much more sunlight and look beautiful from the exterior!
20 | Update Door Hardware
Another inexpensive exterior update that you can add to your outdoor DIY projects is swapping out old door hardware.
A fresh coat of paint and new hardware on a door can give your home the facelift it needs on a budget.
21 | Add Greenery With Potted Plants
Add some life and greenery to your porch with big potted plants.
Don’t forget the tip for creating a visually appealing pot – thriller, filler, spiller! A floral wreath is another affordable way to add greenery to your front entry.
22 | Lay Fresh Mulch
Adding a fresh layer of mulch to your garden beds every spring/summer is an easy DIY project that makes your yard look like a million bucks! Don’t forget to weed the flower beds before adding the mulch.
23 | Add Visual Interest with Shutters
Shutters add a lot of character to your home with little effort. Think of shutters as the mascara on the eyes of your home, they help to make your home look more welcoming and awake!
This colonial-style home below oozes with curb appeal. The exterior was painted a fresh coat of white, the shutters painted, new black gutters, updated address numbers, and a welcoming front entrance.
24 | Create Gathering Spots on the Porch
If you have a front porch, add a swing or rocking chairs to draw people toward the front of your home and invite them to stay.
25 | Paint an Old Fence
Is there anything more charming than a white picket fence?
Our first home had a weathered and old fence that was anything but welcoming. We spent many nights painting the fence white and it made all the difference.
26 | Add a Trellis to the Garden
Installing a trellis in your yard is a great way to add privacy and character outside.
Chris built this pergola and trellis for climbing roses in the backyard of our first home for Mother’s Day and I absolutely loved it!
Jan and Steve Davis built a trellis for climbing peas at their historic Bosler house and stained it black.
It looks beautiful and creates a privacy screen from their close neighbors.
27 | Stain Your Weathered Swing Set
Wooden swing sets start to look a little worn and weathered after a few years.
A good cleaning with a power washer and a fresh coat of stain will make our swing set brand new! For an extra finishing touch, I added solar cap lights to the platform pillars!
28 | Update Your Shed with Paint
Sheds not only add storage to your backyard, but they can also add a lot of charm! I painted our shed behind our pool in a dark green and it adds so much character while still blending into the natural surroundings.
If you have an older shed that is in need of a paint refresh, this is a DIY project you can tackle that will have a big impact!
29 | Add Solar Lights to a Walking Path
Adding solar lights to your walkway or spotlights on your home can also help people see your house in a whole new light (pun intended).
The homeowners of this historic Victorian home in Toledo, Ohio, added solar lights to the walkway leading to the front porch.
BONUS: Favorite Gardening Tools for Beginners
If you are new to the gardening scene, I have compiled a list of my favorite gardening tools that I recommend to all beginner gardeners. I use all of these tools very often throughout the spring and summer!
Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor
