Do you have/use a patio?

[DawnMarch]

When we moved to AZ, I envisioned us using our outdoor patio all the time. In reality, we only use it once in a while because (1) it's really dusty here so you have to clean everything before use, (2) it's hot a lot of the time and (3) dining al fresco = bugs. Our daughter is a mosquito magnet and we are in horsey territory so lots of flies show up. We do love the patio for parties and guests but don't use it much ourselves.

What about you? Do you have a patio and do you use it a lot?

[carrie1977]

We do have a patio but don't use it much for the same reasons as you listed. It's hot here in the central valley and the flies and mosquitos are a buzz kill, too. We will sit out in the morning to have some coffee but the rest of the day it's really useless space. LOL!

[MamaBee]

We have a deck, but it's small... we do eat out there quite a bit until it's bee season. :-/ I watch all these home selling shows and reading house selling articles and they talk about how much outdoor living sells the house... I never see anyone in my neighborhood using their decks... we get the oddest looks when they drive by and we are using ours.

[jaye]

I have a deck with a gazebo over my table. I love sitting out there in the morning to have my coffee but it gets humid here so will retreat to the house and the AC.

[KristinCB]

I don't but i WISH I did.. I kind of hate going out into the backyard period because one of our neighbours always has his stereo on and there are always dogs out barking.... I want to just hear wind and birds

[rach3975]

We have a deck off the back of the house. DH has his grill there and uses that often, but that's it. It's inconvenient to eat outside (layer of pollen over everything that needs to be cleaned first) and it's too hot. We don't really have time to just sit around until nighttime, and if we turn on the light we get lots of bugs. So no, we don't use it much. Maybe 4 or 5 times a year. We used it more when the kids were little and eating outside felt like an adventure.

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[tjscraps]

We have a deck and we use it every day in the summer/fall, weather permitting. We don't eat out there though, too many bugs show up when there's food lol

[jak]

We have an outdoor area at the back but its become the dumping ground for hubby's junk (including an old car!) and other stuff. The chairs are currently sitting on top of the table... so no, we don't use it much!

[rdjrneace]

We have a back deck and a front deck (no the two does not connect) and unfortunately we don't use the front to much because it is not shaded and does get hot.

We do use the back (it is covered) quite a bit (no eating outside) but I love to sit out there in the evening and just enjoy the atmosphere. I really love sitting out there when a storm/rain is moving in.

[nietis]

We live in an apartment and have a small balcony, which is used as a place to hang laundry and for me to grow a few succulents in pots.

[LeeAndra]

We have a small deck off the side door but haven't gotten around to getting furniture for it yet. We probably will this summer and eat out there sometimes.

The house we're renting is weird so that the side door and the deck are not connected to the backyard at all. You walk through and then down and then around to the fenced backyard where there is no access to the house at all.

My 3yo is REALLY sensitive to bug bites but since there really isn't much grass around the deck (just a gravely place to park and the alley) we could probably sit there and not get too bitten up.

[YepBrook]

We have a small front porch with a bistro table and chairs that I use almost every day, year round. In the mornings or afternoons it's just perfect to sit there and have a cup of coffee while the kids play out in the front yard. We don't really have any outdoor living space out back but we are working on it. I want a patio slab poured so we can have a space to eat outside and grill. I love being outdoors, I'd sit outside all day if I could!

[LynnZant]

We have what's called a florida room. It has carpet, outlets, a ceiling fan, track lighting, and is screened in. It doesn't get much use any more. I have covers over everything because it gets so dirty, so it's a hassle to uncover it all just to sit out there. Cleaning that room after winter is my worst household chore, but I usually host Father's Day, so I'll be done by the end of June. Ugh!

[allyanne]

We use our front porch all the time in except in winter. There is a small bistro table out there. We just finished enlarging our outdoor living space with a gravel patio section. There is a firepit and a concrete slab as well. We use it constantly in the summer, entertaining nearly every weekend. It's very green and pleasant, and I like to read out there. Wifi also reaches out there, so I use my iPad out there too.

[hollyxann]

We have a deck in the back that we use all the time but with the pollen right now it's a disaster and always needs cleaned off.

I wish that we had a front porch...we have one but it's enclosed so it gets hot because the windows don't open. We use it as a play room for now, but used to have furniture out there, just rarely used it. I wish we had a front porch that was open that I could sit on.

[mariewilcox]

I have a big screened in porch/deck at both homes and I love it. It gets sun but no bugs At our summer place the black flies and mosquitoes are horrible so with the screened in porch we can sit out there and enjoy the view of the lake and mountains and read, eat, sleep, etc. without annoying pests. At our yearound home it's ticks and mosquitoes so even though the view isn't as pretty I do enjoy going out to read and eat without fear of having a tick jump on me or being chewed up.

[lovely1m]

We have a deck and we use it some, but we actually end up sitting in our driveway way more. The kids run across the yards playing and riding bike and we can talk with the neighbors more than.

[ChristineF]

We use ours all the time, it's so nice to sit there while the kids play.

Have you considered planting lemongrass or other plants that naturally keeps the mosquitos at bay? Worth a shot right?!

[ellasspace]

We have a LARGE pool deck. It's my favorite place to be I use it often,even when it's not swim season.

[carrie1977]

^^jealous of her back yard space....like super jealous^^

[Neverland Scraps]

We have a patio, but up until just recently we've not used it. We bought a patio swing for my daughter, to give her a place to collect her thoughts. We use that all the time. Just yesterday I brought out the water table for my son and I sat outside on the swing while he played with his water table.

Outside of that, we have three (yes you read that right) patio tables with chairs. All three are put away because while we have a patio, it isn't big enough for the patio swing, table and grill. So two are put in the shed while the last table is up against the fence--holding it up until my neighbors fix it from our windstorm in February!

So yes, we have a patio and no we don't use it like "normal" people would use it. We use it redneck style!

[britaneejean]

We have a patio but it's small. There's zero shade over it too so it gets hot fast. I'm hoping to get a table, chairs, & umbrella next summer though. I mentioned a pergola and my husband turned it down immediately everyone around us has one and he doesn't want to be like them. I think it's genius so we'll see


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