Plan Early for Outdoor Entertaining

During the summer, we entertain outdoors often. Between birthdays and summer holidays, we dine outside almost as much as we do in. That's why finding deals on outdoor furniture is so important. What we don't want to do is sacrifice quality. Design Furnishings offers wholesale outdoor patio furniture at cheap clearance prices. From entire collections to dining packages, accessories, special deals, and more, you'll find a style that's just right for you.

They offer free shipping on every order and you can take advantage of their personal shopper assistance, which is available 24/7.

Keep Those Pests Away From Your Picnic

Nothing can ruin a picnic faster than annoying pests. Around here it's the mosquitoes that get you. With wetlands close by, we've had to be creative and diligent when entertaining outdoors. But even the local park has its share of critters I would rather not share my food with.


"10 Ways to Keep Bugs Out of Your Picnic Food" provides some nifty ideas on keeping those pests away. I'm ready to try a few of them myself.

Save Time When Grilling

When we first built our home, the hubby and I had no idea what we were doing. He had lived at home with his parents his whole life and I lived in small apartments while I worked three jobs to make ends meet. Now that we've been homeowners for twelve years, it's sometimes frustrating to realize what we did wrong--especially in the kitchen/cooking arena.

The first quote for our house was significantly higher than the budget we had set. Yes, the banks told us we could afford more, but being conservative with our money, we didn't want to stretch ourselves thin. So, we ended up shrinking the house length and width to bring us closer to our desired number. Didn't seem to be a problem at the time, but try entertaining. Everyone congregates in the kitchen. Even with our open floor plan, it's a tight squeeze between the half wall that separates the work area and the dinette. Our deck, which seemed perfectly placed off the family room, makes grilling a hassle. I have to walk through the kitchen and out the atrium doors of the family room carrying everything I need back and forth. Definitely not the best set up. Once we decide to go through with the renovations, we'll expand the deck so it connects to the back doorway, which is right off the kitchen.

Because of these challenges, I've had to come up with some time savers for grilling.

• Store grilling utensils outside. For a few years, I stored my utensils in the house. That was a pain because they were so long and awkward they didn't fit well in most of my cabinets. Now, I store them on the shelf that is hidden behind double doors where the propane tank sits. I use a plastic zippered bag that used to hold a comforter to keep them clean and dry.
• Heat up the grill while you're gathering supplies. I turn my grill on right before I pack up all I need to take outside. By the time I'm ready to cook, the grill is nice and hot.
• Invest in a sturdy tray. I want to make as few trips back and forth as possible, so I load up a metal tray with all that it will carry--plates, napkins, cups, condiments--and bring them out all together.
• Keep a cooler close by. We don't drink alcohol, and I usually make lemonade for cookouts, so I don't need my cooler for beverages. Instead, I use it to haul all the meats and breads outside. With a layer of ice on the bottom, I'm also able to keep the meats from spoiling before I cook them.
• Make clean up a breeze by storing supplies outside. I usually tuck a container of disinfecting wipes in the deck box where the cushions are stored. If the container is too big, I remove several wipes, put them in a plastic bag that can be sealed and tuck it in between the cushions.
• Clean your grill after you're done. One of the the reasons we ended up buying a new grill a couple of years ago is because while we were on vacation, our son entertained at our house and used the grill. When we came home, globs of greasy gunk were baked onto the grates. There was no way I was ever using that grill again. I would have needed a chisel and hammer to remove all the days worth of caked on goo. It was also an old grill, so it was almost time to replace it anyway. After I'm done grilling and the family has eaten together, I go out and clean off the grates with a wet paper towel and some dishwashing soap. Then I rinse with a clean paper towel, dry the grates, and wipe on a thin layer of vegetable oil. The oil keeps the food from sticking while it cooks. It also helps prevent rust.

How do you save time when you grill?

Stainless Steel Fire Pit is Attractive and Sturdy

I have wanted a fire pit for years. Many of our neighbors have them. Not only are fire pits attractive, they help you extend your outdoor entertainment season. Early spring and late fall can be cool in New England, but with a fire pit, you can snuggle around, enjoy S ‘mores or cocktails, and still be comfortable.

This stainless steel Cocktail Fire Pit by Fire Sense is attractive and sturdy. The 30” hand-hammered stainless steel fire bowl sits in a decorative black steel base. This is complemented by a domed high temperature black powder coated fire screen. Also included is a screen lift tool and wood grate.

You’ll be ready to entertain long into the night with such an attractive fire pit to sit around.

PoolGear Plus® reminds you it is not recommended to use this fire pit on a wooden or other combustible surface or on any surface that is not entirely resistant to high heat. However, if you intend to use this fire pit on a wooden deck or other combustible surface or on any surface that is not entirely resistant to high heat, you must use a non-flammable and heat-resistant material such as concrete pavers, brick, or stone between the fire pit and the surface.

You can visit PoolGear Plus online at www.poolgear.com. They are the fastest-growing catalog and Internet company in the US.


This post sponsored by PoolGear Plus.

Summer Entertaining Will Be Here Before You Know It

I've been considering what furniture to purchase for our deck this year. We have a patio table and six chairs, but what I would really like is something sturdy that doesn't take up a lot of room, we can add for company. Our house tends to be the one the kids hang out at. I cook on the grill most nights during the summer, and when the in-laws and my son and his wife come over, I can't fit everyone at our current table. The problem is I don't have a lot of room. Our deck is 14' x 20' with atrium doors on either side. Smack dab in the middle of the doors is where the house juts out 2 1/2 feet for our living room gas fireplace. I don't want to block access to the doors, so it requires creative furniture arranging.

In addition to being a discount pool supply retailer, PoolGear Plus® carries a wonderful selection of outdoor furniture. I found this Patio Bar Set, including a rectangular table (74" long X 24" wide X 36" high) and 4 barstools that are 26" high. Durable and lightweight, the pieces snap together for easy assembly. I like that it's maintenance free--no cushions to tuck away or wash. It also looks like it will stand up to the wear and tear from the girls and their friends. Some of the little ones are only five years old, so I'm glad the table is too high.

The tabletop comes in Gray, Redwood, Taupe, and Portobello to match any decor. With the cedar stain on our deck, I think I'll go for Taupe or Gray to contrast against the darker stain. It would also match well with the cushions from our patio table.

Will you be updating any patio furniture this year? Do you enjoy outdoor entertaining during the summer?


This post is sponsored by PoolGear Plus, the fastest-growing catalog and internet company in the U.S.