11 Easy Small Backyard Ideas on a Budget

Small Backyard Ideas

Your backyard renovation doesn’t need to be expensive or time-consuming. You can transform your backyard into a paradise with a few simple design and construction tips. These small backyard ideas on a budget will help you create a yard that you love!

Plant!

One of the best small backyard ideas on a budget is to plant! A landscape makeover is one of the most cost-effective and easiest ways to improve any outdoor space. This could be setting up a flower garden or DIY planters, depending on how much space you have and how well-versed you are in gardening. If you are looking for more utility from your backyard, consider planting vegetables and herbs.

Build a DIY fireplace

Building a fire pit is one of our favorite small backyard ideas on a budget. You can create the perfect setting for summer s’mores by making a DIY fireplace. You can save hundreds of dollars by purchasing basic materials and spending a weekend laboring to create a relaxing space that you can use throughout the year. Don’t forget to accommodate room for seating when you’re sizing out your fire pit since you would want to sit and enjoy all that hardwork put into building a fireplace.

Fire Pit Small Backyard Ideas on a Budget

Concrete retaining wall blocks – about $1.25 per block, the total cost of $50

Cinder block caps – about $1.50 per block, the total cost of $40

Concrete fire bowl – about $3 for one bag of concrete, $56 total

Dirt floor fire ring – free, if using natural stones from your own woods

Add comfort with pillows

Adding pillows is easily one of the most affordable small backyard ideas on a budget. Pillows can make your yard more welcoming by adding a touch of comfort to metal and wood patio furniture. Choose durable outdoor fabrics with bright colors and eye-catching designs for a style that lasts throughout the year. This backyard idea is more affordable than you might think. Sewn pillow covers out of outdoor fabric can be used to recover old pillows.

Lay an outdoor rug

An alternative to having a patio in your backyard is just using an outdoor, all-weather rug to divide the space. Place it on the grass to make an outdoor area. Then add some lighting, plants and a table.

Make it kid-friendly

You might be looking for backyard ideas for little ones if you have them running around. You can encourage outdoor playtime with a slide, a DIY net, a goalie net or a water table. These items require minimal space but provide hours of enjoyment. The same goes for small outdoor toys such as tire swings, kid pools, and trampolines.

A vertical garden is another creative and affordable option, and this will save you precious horizontal square foot space. To complete this project, you can use any type of fence, ladder or trellis, and it will provide a platform from which you can attach planters. Just get plastic ones and drill holes in the surface before filling them with soil and plants.

Small Backyard Ideas on a Budget for DIY Vertical Gardens

A wooden ladder, terracotta containers and wire can be used to create a rustic vertical garden.

To create a vertical herb garden, wash out any old paint cans, fill them with soil and hang them.

Waterproof an unused shoe organizer to create a vertical garden that is easy to move.

Make your wooden fence a vertical garden with a few pot hangers or wood screws.

Shop secondhand outdoor furniture

Secondhand is the best option when it comes to backyards. You can find great finds at thrift and antique shops. Even weathered pieces can be refinished or restored with rust removal, new paint and cushions. To ensure you find the perfect furniture for your space, measure it before you go.