30 Weird-But-Genius Backyard Hacks You'll Wish You Knew About Sooner

Protect your privacy and enhance the look of your balcony or fence by making a barrier out of this artificial ivy. The realistic-looking leaves are densely spaced, so they can block out light and prying eyes without obstructing airflow, thanks to the open-net backing. The vines are made of durable plastic and polyester, so they’re easy to clean and will maintain their fresh green color year-round. It’s easy to trim them to the size or shape you need and they can be easily installed with zip ties or tape.

Achieve a luxe cabana vibe in your own backyard with these beautiful curtain panels. Made of heavy-duty polyester, they’re weather-resistant and protect against UV rays, making them suitable for outdoor settings. Their grommets are matte silver and rustproof — a perfect finishing touch for any patio, lanai, porch, or other alfresco situation. They’re simple, elegant, and available in 19 different colors.

Keep your fur babies (or baby-babies) cool on hot summer days without any help from the beach or a pool with this splash pad. It’s made of a thick material that can withstand heavy use and is conveniently slip-resistant. Connect it to your garden hose and control the pressure and water height as you’d like.

Your home is your castle, so treat it that way and bring some luxury to your outdoor area with this battery-operated chandelier. It’s designed with 180 super-bright LED lights that give off warm white light, and the arms can be bent into whatever shape you’d like. It has eight modes and can be operated by a manual switch or with the included remote control.

For something a little different, light your path and bring a glow to your grass with these glow-in-the-dark rocks. They’re 100% solar-powered and provide six to eight hours of illumination. They can light up in one of 16 colors and come with a remote control.

Delivering lemonade and grilling supplies to the porch is much easier if you don’t have to stop and open the door. This magnetic screen door keeps bugs out, opening with just a nudge. It closes automatically behind you, sealing with 26 strong magnets like magic. Quick to install, it’s made of heavy-duty mesh and is strong enough to withstand heavy use.

Just because the sun has called it a night doesn’t mean you have to. This patio light slips easily over your umbrella post, so you can stay up chatting long after the sun has gone to bed. It’s super easy to install, with built-in clamps that adjust to whatever width pole you need, and it comes with a wireless remote so you can control the brightness from up to 50 feet away.

Sprinkler valves, pumps, pipes, and cable boxes are all necessary elements to a functioning yard, but they aren’t exactly attractive. These architectural rocks are hollow, perfect for hiding objects and structures. They come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and color options and are designed to look like natural quarry rocks, blending artfully into your landscaping.

The joy of winning a game of cornhole can be totally ruined when your celebratory dance knocks over your drink. Keep your beverages close by and protected from spills with these beverage holders. Portable, versatile, and installed with a simple step of your foot, they hold almost any size drink and are perfect for the yard.

If you’ve ever sat down on your patio furniture to find it’s still completely soaked from the last time it rained, you need this water-repelling treatment. With a simple spray, it applies a thin layer of a crystal-clear hydrophobic barrier that’s designed to help keep outdoor items dry. In addition, its silicone-free formula will not change the appearance or feel of your things. One happy reviewer reported: “Water completely beads up; dries at the first hint of warm sun, or you can brush the water off and pretty much instantly use your furniture.”

When it comes to outdoor parties, you’re the best of the best. You only use the best gadgets, so you need one of these fantastic grilling baskets. Made of stainless steel, the basket is generously sized to hold copious amounts of food, allowing you to grill more at once. Perfectly spaced grating lets heat and delicious smoky flavor in while preventing food from falling out. It comes with a bag of other accessories: a basting brush, some bamboo skewers, and grilling gloves.

Add a charming decorative glow to your garden path without calling an electrician by simply snagging this 12-pack of wire-free solar-powered lights. They’re made of sturdy plastic and have a waterproof rating of IP44, making them weather-resistant so they will work even on rainy and snowy days.

Fashionable, modern, and weather-resistant, these fence caps take six to eight hours of sunlight and convert them into illumination at night. They automatically come on when it darkens out, then switch off again at dawn. One thrilled reviewer says, “Great addition to our backyard! These are some of the best solar lights I’ve seen.”

Nothing ruins a picnic faster than flies crawling all over your delicious spread. Protect your delicacies with these food tents. They’re made with a tight-seal mesh material that your buggy winged friends can’t penetrate, supported by a galvanized steel framework that pops up quickly and collapses easily for storage. Easy to clean and hand-washable, they’re large enough for most plates and are perfect for any backyard BBQ, picnic, or other outdoor gathering.

No need to spend the big bucks on massive flooring renovation: Add personality to any space with these beautiful reusable tile stencils. This 12-by-12-inch stencil is reusable and has easy connection points, helping you to space your patterns evenly. It is durable and reusable and can be used on tile, concrete, and wood.

Keep your garden hose neatly stored in this decorative and functional wicker pot. Made of durable resin that can withstand harsh outdoor elements, it has drainage holes in the base to release trapped water, preventing mold and mildew. Its large capacity can hold up to 100 feet of standard vinyl hose, and its lightweight design makes it easy to relocate.

With the right tools, even trash can look beautiful. Store your garbage in this decorative outdoor trash vessel. It has a hinged lid for easy access and is compatible with standard 30-gallon trash bags. It’s constructed with durable, weather-resistant resin that is resistant to UV rays and keeps water out.

A little sunlight can make you feel amazing, but it is possible to have too much of a good thing. This sun-shade sail blocks out 95% of UV rays and is easy to install, making it a functional shade solution for any outdoor space. The fabric is breathable, allowing light and air to pass through for comfort, and it comes in 13 sizes and six stylish colors.

These self-watering spikes have kept my houseplants alive on more than one occasion. They’re ingeniously made of terracotta clay, which supplies your plants with a steady stream of water, so you don’t have to worry about overwatering. Designed to fit any long-neck bottle, they can deliver at least a liter of water to your thirsty foliage over a week, making them great for when you go on vacation or if you’re simply forgetful.

Replacing an old deck can run in the thousands of dollars; save yourself the financial burden with these easy-to-install interlocking deck tiles. Lightweight but durable and firm, the high-density plastic they’re crafted out of has excellent stability and better weatherproof performance than a traditional wooden deck.

Is it a chic Parisian cafe? Brooklyn’s hottest alfresco gastropub? No — it’s your very own backyard. These outdoor string lights emit a soft, warm white light, bringing charm to your outdoor space. The waterproof and durable LED bulbs are plastic and won’t break even if dropped from a height of 10 feet. They come already assembled, so they’re straightforward to install and you can choose from two lengths to suit the size of your yard or patio.

Make your next cookout extra fun with this ring toss game. It’s both kid and adult friendly and works on any surface, whether grass, tile, or concrete. It includes everything you need, with no additional parts required; plus, it’s portable and super easy to set up and take down. It even has a carrying case, so you can take it along when you hit the beach, park, or go camping.

This hammock chair is the ultimate must-have piece of furniture for making your outdoor space a relaxing haven. Made of high-quality, durable cotton, it has a solid wood spreader bar and a steel hook for easy setup to hold up to 400 pounds of weight. In addition, it features a handy accessory pocket for storing snacks or your favorite book, and its beautiful cream shade makes it an attractive choice for any porch, patio, or sunroom.

Whether you're feeling nostalgic for yesteryear's drive-in movie theaters or want to find a new, affordable way to keep the family entertained, you can DIY a backyard movie theater with this projection screen. It's made of high-quality polyester material that effectively resists wrinkles, and it's easily hung with hooks, ropes, or nails through the secure brackets.

These gorgeous throw pillow covers add a fresh pop of color to your patio. They’re made of durable canvas with a polyurethane coating, so they’re water-resistant and easy to clean, making them a perfect addition to your outdoor space. Their pretty and elegantly whimsical design comes in five beautiful color variations.

Toast the perfect s’mores safely and easily with this home fire pit. It weighs only 5 pounds and has four foldable legs, so it’s easy to carry and requires no installation. A honeycombed cover allows air to flow through and protects you from rogue sparks, and it comes with a barbecue grate for grilling out. It’s heat and rust-resistant and comes with an extra-long poker.

For decorative accent plants that are low maintenance and low cost, try this grow-your-own cactus and succulent kit. It comes with packets of non-GMO seeds, soil disks, pruning shears, burlap grow bags, and bamboo plant markers — everything you need to grow two succulents and two cacti. As a bonus, it all comes in a beautiful wooden gift box that doubles as an indoor planter.

Grow a wide variety of beautiful plants, even if you only have a small amount of space, with this stackable planter. It’s weather-resistant so that it can live outdoors and altogether makes up 15 different pots while maintaining a relatively small footprint. In addition, it has a built-in water filtration system that saves and retains moisture, and its material is environmentally friendly.

This soft and sturdy outdoor rug is UV-coated to protect against sun damage, making it the perfect addition to accent any alfresco space. It’s reversible, so really, you get two rugs for the price of one. It’s also weather-resistant and easy to clean, so there’s no worrying about mildew if it gets wet. Choose from four sizes.

These flower pots are so fanciful and cute; they’re a super charming and colorful way to add a pop of personality to your yard without having to spend a ton of money on expensive flowers. Made with a sturdy resin cast and water-resistant finish, they come with a drainage hole and removable rubber plug, so you can tailor them to the moisture needs of whatever plant you put inside. They come in four different quirky designs — why not get them all?