So now that I have revealed our outdoor living space, it’s time I tell you how it all came together. It’s quite simple, if I spare the tantrums thrown in stores and my fear of not being able to complete the project in time, and worrying Greg about it all. So. I started by going to kmart.com for inspiration. I browsed their Outdoor Living section, Outdoor Living catalog, and Patio Finder. The Patio Finder was pretty neat, but I had my heart set on a swing and no additional patio furniture since our patio is of the smaller variety.
Using Wishpot, I built three wishlists. One general wishlist of items that I wanted up to $1,500, one wishlist of items I’d like to have if budget was no limit, and a final wishlist of items (featured here) that would be more cost effective with costs of shipping, tax, and unexpected expenses in mind.
We managed to get everything on our final wishlist for a little under $1,500, with a majority of the purchases being made at our local Kmart and Kmart.com. Everything came from Kmart except the DIY Garden supplies: Soil, Compost, and Mulch, Heirloom Vegetable Seeds, Fruit/Nut Trees, Chicken Wire, U Posts, Snip Pliers, PVC Pipes, Composting Worms, Hose Bibb, Downspout Filter. Again, I’m noting the items that I already had on hand: Bistro Patio Set, Mini Glass Table, Hanging Coco Planters, Dishes (on the table), Teapot, Placemats, Bamboo, and Bonsai Tree. Oh, and the Step 2 Double Slide Climber.
For fun, here are some items that I wanted, but didn’t get because of costs or lack of space. Maybe I’ll get some of them later!
Wanted, But Didn’t Get
Little Tikes TotSports Basketball Set
Double Rope Patio Swing
Step 2 Play Up Picnic Cottage
Antique Copper Bird Bath
Cascade Vase Fountain
Solar Roly Poly Frog
It was so funny because our first trip to Kmart, we spent $400 and apparently we set a world record or something because the cashier was like, “Are you guys moving in somewhere… or are you just splurging?” I was like, “Ooh we’re splurging for the first time in like a loooong time.” She couldn’t get over it. She replied with, “Wow, this is a lot of stuff!” I guess no one spends that much at Kmart. She was probably wondering why we weren’t spending it elsewhere, lol.
We may have to take back the window bird feeder because I didn’t realize that the screen on the patio door would interfere with it. We also did a switcheroo on the grill. The grill on our wishlist was pretty basic and I wasn’t really feeling it. So, we ended up (miraculously) getting the one that I really wanted :D.
Seriously, how many people do you know with a burnt orange grill? Fancy, huh?
