We’ve had a great time this summer enjoying our patios, and we’re not ready for the fun to be over. It doesn’t have to be! In fact, September and October are some of the best months to keep the patio in mind. With a few additions, you can keep right on celebrating the great backyard outdoors right into the cooler weather!

If you do it right, the patio serves as an extra room for your home! Here are three ways to make the most of that room as the leaves turn and the days get shorter.

Keep the Good Times Rolling

We tend to associate patios with summer themes, but you can dress them up with fall patio decor as well! Add some new outdoor pillows in fall colors. Liven it up with some planters showcasing mums and other autumnal flowers. Scatter a few throw blankets for guests to drape over their knees when the temps drop.

With the earlier sunsets, it’s time to think about lighting. Consider strings of lights, stronger bulbs in your outside fixtures and even some lanterns to hang or set on tables. But to transition to an amazingly useful and comfortable outdoor room, consider one of these additions:

• Fire table. It’s today’s convenient answer to a campfire. Modern fire tables feature a safe central heat source and a surface to set your drinks and lay out your s’mores fixings. It’s a place where everyone loves to gather!
• Patio heater. Spread warmth throughout the area with a heater or two! Choose standing heaters with propane tanks or a wall-mounted electric patio heater.
• Big Green Egg. Some people build out an entire kitchen on their patios. If you don't have the space for that, the Big Green Egg can do most of what a stove can. It grills, it bakes, it slow-roasts. Prepare anything from burgers to pizza to dazzling deserts! It does just fine sitting outdoors and can be used all year long.

Prep Your Patio for Winter

If you live in a snowy climate, eventually you’ll have to shut your patio down and move the parties indoors. Before you do, take a little time for cleaning and maintenance. Ensure that your furnishings are in tip-top shape for the first promising day next spring.

First, clean everything. Wipe surfaces free of visible dust and debris, then wash them with a mild soap and water solution. Outdoor items are composed of a variety of materials, from polyester upholstery to steel to aluminum to wood to plastic, but few tolerate anything stronger than soap. Hose the soap off, but, to prevent mold and mildew, make sure everything is completely dry before storing it.

Indoor winter storage is ideal, but not everyone has the space to do that. Fortunately, there are protective outdoor furniture covers made to fit most types of patio furnishings, including tables, outdoor sofas, chairs, fire tables and even umbrellas. They snug up tight to protect vulnerable materials from wind, snow and ice.

Find Bargains on Next Year’s Furnishings

Before you go to the trouble of storing away this year’s patio furniture, take a good look at it. Ask yourself, is this really what I want to be bringing out in the spring? If it’s old, faded or worn, there’s no better time to buy new.

Some of the best bargains in patio furniture are found in September and October. Prices often drop after Labor Day. The costs may keep falling as the season moves toward winter, but don’t wait too long! Selection diminishes as well, and that dining set you’ve been admiring may be on its way to someone else’s back yard.

Even in mid-winter, however, you might find some good deals from shopping at websites or visiting brick and mortar stores and placing an order. You don’t even have to worry about winter storage for these new items! Just leave them in the box and get rid of the old furniture that’s cluttering your garage.

Patios and summertime go together, but your outdoor space should beckon you in the fall as well. With a little thought and preparation, you can extend the outdoor entertaining season by months! And with proper maintenance your furniture will serve you for years to come!