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Nov 02, 2023

29 Items That'll Help You Reclaim Your Outdoor Space

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed collects a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.

Now you can finally make real progress to enjoying your backyard.

BuzzFeed Staff

This device uses scent-free repellent mats using naturally occurring repellents found in plants to rid of mosquitoes.

Promising review: "It has allowed me to enjoy my backyard; I couldn't before. It works reasonably well. You need to set it up at least 10 minutes before you occupy the space. Let it chase away the mosquitos before you are there. If you are sitting outside and then turn them on after the mosquitos know you are there, it seems they are less likely to fly elsewhere if they know their meal ticket is in the area. The pads do not always last as long as expected. I usually get two hours out of them." —D. Byk

Get it from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in 10 colors and packs of two).

Promising review: "Living in Hawaii you have to select wise items that are weather-, salt-, and red dirt–proof, etc... In total I ordered 11 boxes to complete my yoga deck. I have a few left over to make steps on the back. Very pleased and happy. May order more for an outdoor shower project!" —Adazzle

Get 10 square feet from Amazon for $73.79.

Promising review: "It is our walkway from the driveway to our side door, across 40 feet of lawn. The rain goes through. Your feet stay dry and clean. You don’t slip because of the textured surface. It looks and works better than artificial grass, flagstone, or mulch. It can be moved easily. Love it." —Sandra Anderson

Get an 8-foot path from Amazon for $85.32.

Promising review: "No more ants! We've been using Amdro ant bait for years now, and it has never failed. Once we start seeing ants working their way into the house, we spread the granules around the perimeter — if we catch them early enough, we're good for the rest of the summer and rarely need to apply more than once." —KG

Get it from Amazon for $16.96.

It's free of pesticides, fragrances, and artificial colors and is safe to use on lawns, gardens, patios, vegetables, flowers, dog kennels, and grass. It's also safe to use on areas where your pets or kids may play. The spray can treat and prevent infestations from ants, ticks, chiggers, crickets, Japanese beetles, and roaches, however, some reviewers note that because of the added cedar oil, the product may attract carpenter bees if you already have a few flying around.

Wondercide is a woman- and family-owned small biz based in Austin, Texas with an emphasis on making plant-based pest protection that's safe for pets and humans.

Promising review: "I rarely leave Amazon reviews, but this definitely deserves a few minutes of my time. I moved into a new place and had a flea problem to the point where I had to take my cat and leave him at a friends house while I battled the fleas for an entire month (even though he had Revolution and a flea collar, it didn't seem to make a difference). I would do yard work and get covered in flea bites and then wake up and be covered in flea bites. I sprayed this on the entire lawn ONCE and now there are no fleas. I walked outside in shorts and no bug spray and was bitten ZERO times. PLUS it smells AMAZING. Like fresh cut cedar <3" —Shannon

Get it from Amazon for $37.99.

They each come with four predrilled drainage holes to prevent overwatering!

Promising review: "I really love these hanging planters. Highly recommended. Lightweight, modern, and has drainage holes!" —thelma marie hart

Get a set of two from Amazon for $26.99+ (available in eight styles).

Promising review: "The only problem I have with this chair is that I only have one of them and the whole family now fights over it! Seriously, it is THAT comfortable and relaxing. Pretty easy to put together. My husband got it all assembled in less than an hour and then proceeded to open up a beer and fall asleep in it next to the pool, HA! I like to take my laptop out with me and work in it as the moveable umbrella shades my screen. Love love LOVE it!!" —Erin S

Get it from Amazon for $219.99 (available in nine colors).

FYI, this includes a spreader bar for easy setup and can hold up to 450 lbs.

Promising review: "This hammock is much more comfortable than any of those that we’ve had in the past. It looks great in the yard and is very comfortable and soft." —D

Get it from Amazon for $64.24+ (available in 14 colors).

Aire Candle Co. is a small business based in Massachusetts that sells premium hand-poured beeswax candles.

Promising description: "This candle seems to work pretty well! We've been using it for most of the summer in our backyard in northern Colorado, and it seems to repel mosquitoes. It's well made, and the wick is actually big enough to get a steady, even burn. We tend to burn it from the ground so that the repellent odor is near our ankles and will drift upward. Directions are provided to ensure good use of the candle." —Maria P2B

Get it from Aire Candle Co. on Etsy for $25+ (available in two sizes).

Promising review: "Impressed with the size of the cell which provides a larger surface area for charging. The lights are the brightest I've seen for a solar light and the illumination covers a nice range. Placed them along my pond giving the place a classy look." —Percussionist

Get a pack of six from Amazon for $19.99+ (available in three colors and two quantities).

It has a range of up to 1,500 square feet!

Promising review: "I was so fed up with the mosquito bites I was getting in the house so I purchased this. It was ez to hook up. I placed it on a table in the living room and within minutes I could hear it zapping bugs/mosquitoes, etc. I haven’t gotten bit since. Great item. I may order another one for outside in the patio." —Barbi T.

Get it from Amazon for $30.99+ (available in three colors).

Just so you're aware, this doesn't kill bugs — it just traps them! Place it near a garbage bin, plants, or fruit for best results.

Promising review: "This thing works. I have the unfortunate problem of living in an area where there are a lot of mosquitoes. I bought this because there is a cloud of mosquitoes outside my door every morning and some of them seem to make their way inside my apartment whenever I open the door. So I really bought this trap out of desperation. I had tried pretty much every (unsuccessful) way to get rid of mosquitoes that I could find online, but eventually decided to try this trap. The mosquitoes fly toward the UV light and get sucked into the trap from the fan. Once they're in, they get stuck on the sticky trap part. I love it and am so glad I bought this!" —Snow

Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in three styles and two colors).

Wild Rose Herbs is a small business based in Oregon that sells handmade, natural skin care products.

Promising review: "This is the ONLY insect repellant that I trust on my children and myself. The organic natural ingredients and the care and attention WRH puts into everything they create makes this an easy choice. The scent is also really lovely, which is a big plus, and IT REALLY WORKS!" —Elhi33

Get it from Wild Rise Herbs on Etsy for $9.95.

Promising review: "I purchased these to cover the side of my house. Installation was easy and I left them outside for two days to charge. The light coverage was about what I expected from them and do the job well. The motion sensitivity covers all the side and lights turn on. It has rained about three times and still work great and hoping they last for a long time." —J. Argueta

Get a set of four from Amazon for $19.99.

Promising review: "When I say I'm at war with the ants in my yard, I mean I wake up thinking about my attack strategy in the morning. These suckers were EVERYWHERE: so many hills in my yard that my grass stopped growing and my yard turned into dirt land, a TON of hills between bricks in our walkway, and a few in our flower beds. I put these things out since I didn't really want to mess with any chemicals at home and the all-natural stuff was getting me nowhere. I put them out and within a week I could see a difference in activity. Within three months they were all gone. As others mentioned, there can be satellite colonies that end up bigger when you attack the main colony. What I did (and worked for me) was putting these out for a month, then getting more and searching out the newly forming colonies and relocating the bait. Good luck!" —KP

Get a pack of eight from Amazon for $7.98 (also available in packs of 12, 16, and 48).

Promising review: "I ordered this product because every spring and summer we have problems with flies and maggots in the garbage can. The first time I used Terro, it didn’t stick very well. I can say it was user error because the adhesive tape stuck to my fingers. I had a hard time getting the tape off my fingers, but did manage to stick the device on the garbage lid. The next day I noticed that the device had fallen in the garbage can, so I ordered another one. I was very careful not to get the tape on my fingers this time. The device has been on my garbage can lid for a few days now. It survived the weekly trash pickup. As for whether or not this device works: Let me tell you, NO FLIES, NO MAGGOTS!!! This product works well. Just be careful when applying the adhesive strip." —Ms. Patricia A. Nelson

Get it from Amazon for $9.84+ (also available in a pack of two).

Promising review: "This skimmer does exactly what it is supposed to do. Catches things like leaves and insects that fall into the pool, anything that is floating on the pool surface eventually gets pulled in. The surface of my 18-foot Intex pool was cleaned within just a couple of hours after installation. The box comes with everything you should need to install it, so you don't need to buy extra hoses or hose adapters. The skimmer came with two different types of mounting bracket and one of them fit my Ultraframe Intex pool perfectly, I know some people had to get creative with how they mounted their skimmers, but luckily I didn't have to. I would recommend purchasing this skimmer to anyone with one of the Intex pools, it saves a lot of extra work." —thisguy

Get it from Amazon for $24.99.

Promising review: "This little guy has become my best friend. I will admit that I didn't hold out much promise that it would clean my pool effectively. But the first time I set this guy in my pool and watched as it ran around the bottom of my pool leaving it just as clean as when I stand there and manually vacuum. I high recommend this product. The only down fall is it does not clean the corner that well but I just brush them after it is done and filter out that little bit of dirt. I am so glad that I did this." —Terry

Get it from Amazon for $179.99+ (available in two colors).

Badger Face Beauty is a small business based in New York that sells bath and body products.

Promising review: "Excellent product! I used it again in Florida like last year, and I got only one mosquito bite in 8 days! Before using this product, I usually would get at least 50 bites! This product is a lifesaver!" —Rosemary F.

Get it from Badger Face Beauty on Etsy for $12.69.

Promising review: "Great fan at a good price! I bought this fan for my backyard to help circulate the air in hot days and to help deter mosquitoes at night around the fire pit. This fan worked perfectly. It has three speeds, the highest of which is super strong. The fan at high speed is a bit noisy, but nothing unexpected of a powerful fan. It is also 100% waterproof, which is a must. My only minor issues would be 1) it would be nice if the fan came with a cover for when it’s not used (I bought 20-inch tire storage covers to do the job), and 2) the fan is only adjustable up and down not side to side — if they could make it oscillate that would be great. Having said that, I would recommend this fan for sure and would not hesitate to buy it again" —Bigdad

Get it from Amazon for $105.37+ (available in three sizes).

It's super easy to clean — just wash it off with the garden hose if it gets dirty, and it'll dry in no time!

Promising review: "The colors are very nice, and you can just hose it off anytime. It certainly has brightened up the deck in my backyard. Update: I have had this outdoor rug for over two months. It has been rained on many times, and so far, the rug is holding up great. I am planning on buying a second one! I love it." —Dr. Oceanfront

Get an 8x10 rug from Amazon for $86.23+ (available in six sizes and in 17 styles).

Promising review: "My pool is awesome when it gets into the 100s of degrees here in California. We decided to grab a 20x20x20 triangle and holy cow does it do a number on the backyard! Not only does it keep my pool better-shaded, but it also keeps the sun off of my back patio during the hottest part of the day." —The Tiki Lab

Get it from Amazon for $19.98+ (available in several sizes and in 13 colors).

Patio Wise Store is a small business based in Wisconsin that sells indoor and outdoor furniture.

Promising reviews: "Awesome Folding Table !! This is perfect for my condo balcony. I’m going to use my table next to my BBQ for plating food and to hold drinks 🍹 The size is wonderful and very sturdy, easy to install and it’s real wood, stained beautifully and I love that I can fold it down as well." —Diane

Get it from Patio Wise on Etsy for $98.99 (originally $109.99).

Promising review: "I am so happy to have this mosquito repellent. I wanted something for my back patio in the evenings. This is so pleasant! Everyone comments about the scent; it’s not offensive like other nasty repellent sprays or candles." —Namaste

Get two packs of 12 from Amazon for $24.99+ (also available in a three-pack and with reduced footprint packaging).

Promising review: "I have lacrosse players and dogs and this stuff is amazing. My yard looked like an abandoned lot before this and it literally 'grew anywhere' just like it said. The bag I planted last year actually came back strong this year so I put more down and it is working like a dream!" —chchmom

Get it from Amazon for $13.19+ (available in five sizes and four packs).

It comes with the two chairs and small matching glass table.

Promising review: "Exactly what I was looking for. Construction seems sturdy. Dimensions and style were perfect for the small patio space I was looking to get use out of, and the egg shape of the chairs is very comfortable. I paired them with a seagrass outdoor rug, faux fur chair pads, a beanbag style poof footstool, and some boho throw pillows, and love how the space was instantly transformed. I highly recommend this set." —Baby blues

Get it from Amazon for $179.99 (available in five colors).

You'll probably want to add in some of your own pillows to make it even cozier!

Promising review: "Took about two hours total with one person — everything was included (a couple of extra screws helped out). Assembly instructions were visual and easy to understand. Had to reverse the front canopy piece after assembly, but their video tells you how to determine if it's backwards. Once I had it assembled, my wife promptly took a two-hour nap on it and said it was great — worth every penny. Make sure you purchase a weather cover for it, and it'll give you long-lasting satisfaction!" —Joseph Vivona

Get it from Amazon for $529.99+ (available in four colors).

Patuu Living is a small business based in Estonia that specializes in producing indoor and outdoor floor cushions and benches.

Promising review: "It's gorgeous. I love mine so much I'm upset that I didn't get the largest size." —Alexis C.

Get it from Patuu Living on Etsy for $78.47+ (available in 15 colors and in 27 sizes).

Promising review: "It took me about 25 minutes to assemble, I will admit I was a little overwhelmed at first, but luckily the instructions were very clear and easy to follow. The finished product was well worth it. The wood look finish is even prettier in person. It has somewhat of a gloss to it but not too much; it looks gorgeous when the sun is beaming on it. Totally surpassed my expectations! The color is also just what I was expecting from the pictures, so it matches the rest of my decor perfectly. The chair is quite heavy; it is totally designed to last! I am sure I will get many years of use out of this. A gorgeous new addition to my backyard." —Barby4321

Get them from Amazon for $139.99+ each (available in 12 colors and in two and four set quantities).

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.