It is
hot today and only going to get worse tomorrow. When the temperature creeps towards 90 degrees so early in the year, I know we're in for a sweltering summer. Luckily we scored when we got our Agio patio set for $250 this past winter, so I can lounge on the deck, under the umbrella, and enjoy the cool breeze off of Lake Michigan. This money-saving strategy won't give you any instant gratification, but the financial and aesthetic benefits will be worth the wait, I promise.
When we first moved in to our little house,
I considered getting a cheap patio set for about five seconds, but quickly decided that it wasn't worth spending money on something I would never love. I could picture it: I'd be sitting on a used, junky, plastic patio set, dreaming of something more comfortable, regretting spending even a dollar to own the atrocity. The next summer, I'd maybe find something nicer, but would be left getting rid of the old one in order to bring the nice one in. No thanks.
Now before you dismiss this idea because budgets are limited and you can get some life out of a lame set, consider the long-term results. Instead of buying something right now that you'll only want to discard, a way to be mindful of your purchases is to follow Morris' advice and "have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful." With our small blueprint,
I want my purchases to be both useful and beautiful. I find that doing this makes me a much happier, more satisfied homeowner.
Sometimes the "useful and beautiful" rule requires saving money or waiting for something that's just right, but there are a lot of benefits. Although it's tempting to pick something that will do in order to fill a space,
it's okay to have spaces remain unfinished while you contemplate design or work to find the right piece. You may even run through ten different designs you're certain of before ultimately deciding that the second idea was the best. While you go through this process, you can save up. Instead of spending $50 on the cheap set, save $50 a month for the next four months and allow yourself to enjoy a $200 set that won't need to be replaced in a year's time and that makes you smile each time you see it.
So, with this in mind, I kept an eye out for used patio sets online all last summer. I had to stop myself anytime I thought,
It's not amazing, but it's only $50. I used a few resources: Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and private Facebook furniture groups. I found a nice cast aluminum table with six swivel chairs for $200 last June, but it was gone before I could jump in to grab it. My search turned up nothing I wanted, or at least not in my price range. Still, I waited. Through fall and winter I kept an eye out for sets, but
it wasn't until late December that our perfect set appeared. An elderly couple about 40 minutes from us was downsizing and needed their set gone within a week.
Anyone selling sets that time of year is looking to get rid of their patio sets fast, which will lead to great savings for the purchaser. Ultimately, searching in the winter may turn up fewer results, but if you can find a great set, you'll snag a deal.
We ended up calling back and forth a few times to confirm measurements and a pickup time. On New Year's Eve, we rented a huge U-Haul van, which I was terrified to drive, and headed out to their lovely farm house. I won't lie, I was absolutely terrified to drive that van, but it turned out to be a nice adventure.
In the end, not having a set our first summer here was worth it. It's late May and our friends are already popping by all the time for cool drinks on our deck. The set we bought offers ample, comfortable seating and helps create a serene atmosphere in our backyard. It's far more welcoming than other options I saw, and I'm proud to own this set. Overall,
it wasn't the least expensive option, but having such an attractive set for only $250 was well worth the wait.
