We’ve spent a lot of time the past few years creating what I humbly believe (really, not so humbly) to be a cool hangout space basically out of nothing and now I have a very unglamorous backyard project that I’m thinking about doing finally since it’s been on my mind for the past couple of years. You can see the outdoor space we created here and the space we created in the garage, known as Boss Bar, here. We’ve made super minor updates since we started working on our backyard and I recently wrote about new garden updates I plan to make this summer. But one thing I never show on this blog or on social media is the other side of Boss Bar, the part that is such an eyesore when we have parties or when we are just using the space on our own. Ready for it?

It’s the rest of the garage. Everything we store in bins and not in bins, all of our big tools, shovels and rakes, and sometimes even our car are all just exposed and hanging out with us when we’re hanging out in there. It’s just so ugly.

Over the years, I’ve thought of different ways to wall off the Boss Bar side from the rest of the garage. I thought of building a Lego wall so it would be fun, playful and useful. I’ve thought of just hanging curtains. I even was pretty set just a month ago on building an actual wall.

And then I came to the realization of two very important things: 1. We don’t have the budget to do anything special in here, and 2. If we ever wanted to do a real renovation in the garage (it’s been discussed), I wouldn’t want to have to undo anything serious, like a wall.

So I’m sort of back to square one. I’m leaning toward a curtain situation but HOW BORING IS THAT?! Do you have any ideas? Halp!

Once I figure out the “wall” situation, then I can re-lay out the storage and get new garage shelving to help it all look cleaner and neater. See, I told you, unglamorous. Garage shelving. So sexy.

Speaking of curtains, we have a few minor updates we’re making to the makeshift patio area. The above photo is how it looked after we made a few changes last year. Here is how it looks now:

This is most definitely in progress and needs a lot of cleaning and finishing. We got a new rug, an actual outdoor dining table that seats eight, instead of using two rinky dink metal folding tables that sort of sat eight all together, and a second umbrella. I am doubling up the curtains you see hanging here and hanging them higher and wider to give it a more formidable look. I want to add to and hang the string lights differently so they actually criss cross our backyard. And we probably need new chairs since the two coral chairs now look pink after years in the sun and, with our new square table, we don’t have a location for these captains chairs.

And then, cleaning off the garage and house to get rid of all of that disgusting mold and other ugly dirtiness. These changes are far from glamorous but some necessary, some just because I want to. Follow along on Instagram so you can see real-time changes (and frustrations) and check back for updates. And if you have ideas for the garage “wall” situation, let me know in the comments below.