Thanks so much to eBay for sponsoring this post.
Hi, I’m Danielle and I’m obsessed with my patio.
Over the last couple months, I’ve been on a mission to up our patio game because, you guys, it was SAD. Really, really sad. Sad enough where I didn’t even want to go out there, let alone invite someone over to hang out.
But since we’re spending so much more time at home and we have a dog now, I wanted to turn our patio into a space we’d actually want to hang out in. Step one was eliminating bugs since Drew won’t even consider sitting outside if it’s buggy and Reese gets attacked by mosquitos.
Step two was getting rid of the old wrought iron furniture that cluttered up our patio. That ended up being way easier than expected and a couple online posts later, it was gone.
Then came the fun part. Decorating. I scored some patio furniture I loved and thought that would be the end of it but it wasn’t quite oasis I was hoping for. Enter eBay.
eBay is my spot when you’re on the hunt for specific things that you can’t find in stores… which at this point, it’s tough to find just about anything patio related in local shops. Those areas are cleaned out and late comers like me still need a spot to find the goods.
First on the list were some outdoor pillows to spruce up the space. I had one of these Safavieh pillows that used to be in Reese’s room but needed one to match. So I started scouring eBay to find its partner. After a couple weeks and creating a search, I found one along with another fun one to match.
Modern Outdoor Pillows
Next up were lights. When I originally went shopping, I bought the last box of these Hamilton Bay string lights, hoping they’d be enough to cover the space. Clearly I am bad with measuring and math because they were not even close to enough. We needed at least two more boxes but every store within 50 miles was sold out and there weren’t any available to order. So I went to eBay and found TONS.
Thank god for people who change their minds or buy too many because I was able to order two boxes of the exact lights so we could finish out the entire space.
PATIO STRING LIGHTS
There’s still some stuff we want to do to finish out the space. I really want a cantilever umbrella for shade and some more greenery to make it feel a little more like a hidden oasis. I planted some hydrangeas and finished out our flower boxes but once the heat wave subsides, I want to add some more potted plants. Hoping they will help cover up some of the drainage pipes and stuff that we have back there and can’t remove.
The umbrella is next on my list but we haven’t splurged on it yet (although this weekend’s temps have me tempted). Trying to space things out so we don’t blow the budget. The good thing about eBay is you don’t have to feel pressured to buy something just because it’s the only one in stock. You can wait to find the perfect one and you can be sure you’ll be able to find it anytime of year – not just during the retail season.
Shade please
And in these crazy times, one thing I love about eBay is that they make selling easy and accessible to just about anyone. I’ve been selling on the site for 10+ years but clearly I’m just selling random things around the house. One thing I love is that it’s easy for any maker or online retailer to sell on the site, especially those starting up small businesses or brick and mortar shops looking to establish an online presence.
Right now, you can start a free Basic eBay Store for free for the first three months. It’s a really easy way to reach millions of people and active buyers, especially since the selling tools make it easy for potential buyers to find you.
You’d be surprised how many small businesses and makers use it to share their products. I stumbled upon this adorable card shop, dippity and snark, and obviously want to order all the cute lemon cards.
And if you decide to open up a shop, send me your info! Would love to share. It’s a great way to introduce your brand or product a whole world of people (seriously, they even have super easy global shipping). Happy Hunting!
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