This is a sponsored post on behalf of Dollar General.
All opinions are my own and were not influenced by any parties.
Summer is finally here! That means days spent at the pool, playing games in the backyard and BBQs! For our family, it means we can finally enjoy our new deck!
This past fall, my husband rebuilt our entire deck. Our old one was falling apart. The wood was starting to rot and the nails were popping out. After upgrading the deck and making it larger, we decided to splurge on something we had never purchased after living here for 15 years — outdoor furniture!!
After being cooped up all winter, we are all ready to be outside. There is nothing more relaxing than eating dinner on our deck under the umbrella, listening to the birds and feeling the cool breeze on your face.
One of our goals in rebuilding our deck was to make it a living space for our family. I wanted to make it another extension of our house. I have the furniture, but it was still pretty boring and drab. I realized that other than the cushions, it was a bit drab and borning.
We had already invested quite a bit of money into building our deck, so I did not want to go overboard when it came to adding decor. And, I’m a bit of a minimalist, so for me, less is more.
I happened to be at my local Dollar General picking up a few items and wandered into the outdoor aisle. Then I saw them! Some adorable planters in colors that would look perfect on my deck! I picked up some fresh flowers and added them to my steps. Aren’t the colors great (and they cost just $1 each!!).
The cool thing is that I can also use the flowers on our table when entertaining – so I was able to get two decorations for the price of one!
Then I found it. The most adorable little outdoor decoration ever!!! It was a topiary that was shaped like a dog. And the awesome part was that it had lights! So not only would it be cute during the daytime, it would add some interest at night as well.
I was shocked when I found it! I had never seen anything like that anywhere. He looks so cute sitting in the corner of our deck – saying hello every time we walk into the house.
We have had a few meals on our table, but using paper plates again and again just isn’t good for the environment. And, three kids and a husband using glass plates on my deck?!? Um, no thank you! I wanted to find some dinnerware that I could reuse again and again – but I didn’t want it to be boring.
Lucky for me, one of my Dollar General turns led me down the outdoor living aisle. I found some of the CUTEST things!! The watermelon plates and glasses immediately caught my eye – aren’t they cute?!?!
But I didn’t stop there. I was able to find a coordinating plastic pitcher and serving bowl to use as well. And, then the little metal basket for napkins and cutlery? Too cute!!
I could have gone crazy, but I knew I had to keep my budget in check. I was really surprised as to the types and quality of the outdoor living items they had in the store.
Once I grabbed the items for our next get together, I decided there was no time like the present to put it all to use! I went home and set the table. My husband fired up the grill and we had a little party in the backyard with our kids.
I’ve already called my best friends and they are all headed this way next Saturday afternoon for a get-together. Our kids will run and play. The adults will relax on the deck in the shade. It’s going to be great. I can’t wait to entertain even more now that I’ve got a space that is begging to be used and enjoyed.
