Getting stir-crazy? Here are some outdoor projects to consider

A positive result of stay-at-home mandates is accomplishment of honey-do lists and long-shelved home improvement projects. Getting out of doors and tackling both fun and necessary projects is not prohibited during the COVID-19 crisis, and couples and family members can do them together. 

Two of Bob Vila’s “9 Insanely Easy 1-Hour Backyard Projects” are 1) hang a rope and wood board swing from a sturdy yard tree, and 2) paint, clean, repair, etc., outdoor furnishings.

In January, Country Living offered 85 outdoor project ideas, including:

Build a fire pit: Purchase or find rocks, arrange in a circle or square, and clear away debris. Build — or a assemble from a kit — a chicken coop: Now is the time to raise chicks, if your city or county allows them on your property. They’re purchasable at most “essential” feed and seed supply stores, and plenty of kits and DIY plans are available online.‒ Make a swinging bed out of old pallets: DIY instructions are online; a cheap, or old, twin mattress works well as the cushioning. Organize the shed — or clean it out, add electricity, decorate it, and use it as a she-shed or he-shed retreat space or a kids’ playroom. Make a DIY sandbox with a critter shield and a sunshield; wood, a dowel, chicken wire, a few yards of weatherproof fabric and some sand are main materials needed. String outdoor white and/or twinkling lights over a patio, deck, pergola, etc. Hang a hammock — or two.

Regarding essential spring outdoor tasks, DIY Network reminds to:

Pressure wash and/or hand scrub decks and porches from top to bottom. Clean exterior window glass. Clean, spruce up and ready a grill. 

Finally, tackle weeds, brush piles and downed trees, sticks and pinecones.

Attention given to one’s outdoor space benefits mental and physical well-being, according to UAB News from the University of Alabama at Birmingham March 27: “Fresh air and sunlight will give you a new perspective and keep you interactive in the world as daily routines are affected.”