Summertime and the Livin' is Second-Hand

There was a story in the Globe and Mail yesterday about home-owners who, having spent massive amounts of money on their outdoor living spaces, are now abandoning their backyards for a cleaner, more predictable life inside the house.

I couldn't help thinking they'd done it all wrong.

For one thing, they bought brand new furniture which they then felt compelled to keep clean and shiny.

But when you start out with something used, something that already shows some signs of wear, you can totally relax if it gets rained on.

I bought an (admittedly new) hammock a few years ago. I love relaxing on it on my days off. I fill it with vintage cushions, throw an old quilt on it in case the breezes turn chilly.

Our outdoor dining table is from a used-restaurant supply. The fact that it has a marble top adds to its charm and cleanability. The fact that it came with a few marks already on it means I don't have to worry about bad things happening to it.

Maybe it's because, growing up, my family spent our vacations in rented cottages, but to me summer has pleasant associations with other peoples' cast-offs.

So hit your favourite second-hand shop for your summer-living essentials, then get outside and relax!