start with a good clean up and powerwashing. Remove all the debris to see what you have to work with. Any option to open any of those window openings and install a door?

a deck off the house would be nice, even if it's small, someplace to sit and enjoy the outdoors.

Sadly there is no room for additional doors out because the table and counter are right on the inside there. Along with the bedrooms. There is the small sunken type deck on the side there but for flow not sure if that is the best place to put a table or if a couch and table would be better there. Also, I am definitely going to power wash for sure!

Your side yard looks shady. Most grass does poorly in shade. Does the back door lead into the garage or the house? What is the pile of rocks beside the back door?

First things first - clean it up so you can see what is salvageable. All the concrete is dreadfully dirty.

I will clean up the concrete and I will power wash those decorative stones to use somewhere as those are pricey. They are in a pile cause I moved them. The back door leads to a tiny hall into the basement and back of the house. Also I will power wash and paint the whole house as a fall project. Focused on the yard for the summer.

Can you take a couple of pictures of the inside, particularly the area along the back yard? Not having a direct access to your backyard is a big disadvantage, Agree re the concrete...1st priority.

Agree that it's a big space - I would draw it out on graph paper and divide it into "zones" and then tackle one zone at a time- otherwise I think it gets overwhelming

ideas for zones could include:

Pool area + seating + pool supplies/toys storage

Dog run (so waste is not on grass and is in one area to simplify clean-up)

Kids play zone - area for trampoline, cornhole, ladder ball etc

Cutting garden - place to grow flowers to bring in the house

Fire pit area

Grill + eating area

I've added a few photos in the post of what the windows looking out look like.

Your sunken deck area is fine, as long water doesn't collect there when it rains, but I think it would be more functional if it were level with the pool surrounding or, even better, moved over to the door area.

You don't seem to have a lot of open space to work with, so you really have to think about what are your priorities for the space: along with what you can afford - how much DIY you are willing to do, how much play area your kids need, does the fencing need repair, are the rock borders serving a purpose, what sort of plants would you enjoy, how much work to maintain them will you be able to do.... outdoor furniture comes last in the planning.

Is having the minitramp important to your family? Do you need to get the lawnmower or other equipment out of that storage shed? (I'd be inclined to lay a paver path to the shed, and plant ground cover on either side of the pavers.)

If you decide that a screened porch would be important to you, the best place that I can see for one is added on to the alcove where the door is, and extending out next to the cement.

Sod won't fix the grassy areas without good preparation of the soil beneath it, I think - it will fail to thrive eventually, just like the existing grass. And you will need to be sure to get a shade tolerant variety. Unless you have some idea of using that space (for play, perhaps) you might just consider building raised beds there and planting with shade loving plants, with a paver or stone path and minimal grass.

How do you access the garden? Is it through the shady side garden?

Don't bother trying to grow grass in the shade -- it will always be a struggle. If that's your access to the main garden, put a nice pathway through there with shade plants on either side.

What's your budget? If you want to do a low-cost refresh, focus on rehabbing what's already there. As others said, clean the concrete and deck. It's Spring so aerate, reseed and fertilize the lawn. Keep it mowed (not too short) and fertilized as directed with a quality organic fertilizer. Edge around the concrete, deck, etc. Maybe add a couple of ornamental trees and shrubs, plus a few large, colorful pots of flowers. You'll be surprised how much that will improve the look of the yard.

Can you extend either the deck down the side of the house or the small patio where the trampoline sits to provide a sitting area? Think about what you want -- shade during the summer, protection from rain, or a place to BBQ? Go from there.

If you have more of a budget, hire someone to draw up a landscape plan for you. Local nurseries often offer this service for very affordable prices and then give discounts if you buy the plants from them.

You have a good space to work with. Take your time and have fun.

Thank you everyone for all the advice!

Saw your new comment - if it were me, I would take care of the house painting before getting into landscaping. Just tidy up and start making the plans. Also would look at putting some sort of trellising to hide the open foundation overhang and utilities on the corner - paint to match the house body.

From the front of the house, if you are going to the backyard I enter the house through the shady side yard. I should add another reason for me laying sod is that I have raked and raked a bunch of glass up from the yard (previous owners had alot of stuff I removed - three dumpsters worth!) so I am looking to rototill and then lay sod hoping to start fresh. I even dug up a household door under the stuff in that sideyard!

WOW! I completely agree with rototilling, and tilling in any organic material that you can get your hands on while at it - leaves, shredded paper/cardboard, straw, sawdust, or wood chippings from a tree service (they usually are very happy to give you some, so that they don't have to pay to dump it. That's a good way to get free mulch, also. I do this regularly.) A little sand if the soil is clay also helps. These additions will improve the soil, make it easier for the grass roots to grow deep, and improve drainage.

You may want to do this, while you've got the rototiller, in any areas where you will want put plants in the back yard, also.

ETA: check with your county extension for recommendations on what type of grass is low maintenance and good for shade in your area. Where I am, I have used turf type tall fescue with great results (a mix of cultivars from an online source.)

Which way is north? Sun angles are going to be a big part of planning this out since there aren't any trees.

Regarding the side yard, assess, realistically, just how much sun it gets. If it doesn't get enough sun to grow grass, plant a groundcover for shade, or a simple shade garden. Put a path through it so it doesn't get trampled. If there is enough sun for grass, DO NOT rototill. It just fluffs everything up, then it settles back unevenly. So you end up with a lumpy mess of a lawn.

I'd want a patio outside the back door. I'd want a tree shading the patio, but where the tree should go, and how realistic that is depends on which way things face. There isn't really a backyard. There is a pool, and that doesn't leave much space for other things. So what is important?

The backyard faces south east. I wont add more patio only because I have the sunken deck by the pool and all that concrete around the pool. Trying to plan around whats available already.

Some visual inspro

That inspo pic is very cool!

Katie, congratulations on the purchase of your home. I agree with most above about determining zones or what I like to refer to as “rooms.” Aside from the hefty cleanup you have already done, try to figure out how much maintenance you will have whether that be irrigation or pruning. Aside from pressure washing, I’d have to agree with working on soil composition or at least figuring out what you are working with after you decide where you will be planting. That would be a great prep project before ideally planting in fall. If you are wanting to start on something I would recommend that before making any plant purchases. That way you are able to give the plants proper site locations and soil requirements without risking having to move them later.

With that being said, do you have any big wants/concerns? Privacy? Kitchen garden? Cut flowers? What do YOU like about landscape when you’re seeing it out and about? I’d love to help you with my ideas but I think it’s important that it appeals to your needs and interests.

P.S. that fence will look brand new after a pressure wash and stain!

Thank you! I think my main goals this next two months are: Pressure wash concrete, rototill grass and lay sod (because of reasons said in an earlier comment), I did not realize the fence needed to be power washed and stained - is that a thing? Does anyone have any pics of how much that will improve the look? I would like some trees for privacy but do not have a lot of money to spend - maybe $500 on trees and shrubs? Honestly, looking at that corner where the fences meet and the grass is terrible (where the trampoline is) really bums me out. Based off what others have said I think an eating grill area is important - I am leaning towards putting that over on the sunken deck area. I do not have the ability to add a deck off the back door at this time (although that is a great suggestion for the future). Someone mentioned trellising in front of the utilities on the side and fixing up by the shed will be mid summer work as that is lower on my priority yard list now.

1. Privacy and most bang for the buck improvement items are important to me for the short term

2. I want my kids to be able to have friends over and I want to have family over for summer cookouts and not be embarrassed of my yard :-)

3. Adding some trees and shrubs to the corner where the fences meet too!

I think that the biggest part of the job is cleaning up the backyard. Once that's done perhaps post other pictures for further suggestions. It looks like the siding needs painting, so here is one of many suggestions, and by then you'll know where you stand budget wise.

Katie, sure thing! I moved into a 20 year old home about 3 years ago and my first year was just getting to know the lay of the land. There were about 3 different soil types in each section of my yard and I had to figure out what I wanted to do with my blank canvas. I’ll attach some photos of my progress as well as some before and afters of pressure washing and staining our fence.

Here is a before from when we purchased our home and here is the most recent pic. I pressure washed and waited a full 48 hours for the wood to dry and then went over with a stain. It’s held up for 3 years so far. I also spent a year & 1/2 prepping the soil for grass seed. Sod would have been quicker but it wasn’t in our budget so it was a lot of patience but it’s all coming together.

As for our backyard, we had a LOT to clean up. The other side is full sun but this portion was mostly shaded. We spent a lot of time figuring out what we wanted to do with the space and then started making moves. There is still a long way to go and I know I want to put in a pergola swing on the right of the patio but it’s come a long way in a short time! Again, pressure washing made a massive difference! I haven’t stained the back fence yet as it took a lot of work and I have a LOT of backyard. There are people to hire for both pressure washing and staining - even the app angi has options.

Take your time and have fun with it!

Also, $500 is a fair amount for getting plants in the ground. Some sites like Tennessee Nursery offer bulk deals for trees and shrubs. The most important things is planning your spacing and knowing your zones climate. If you’re looking for privacy there are plenty of evergreen options that will give you what you’re looking for. I’d suggest working with a local nursery because they will know what’s best for your zone.

Another point to note when planting trees and shrubs and having a pool, consider things like maintenance, invasive roots, and long term care. Mature trees can be costly as I have learned 😅

I would widen out and smooth a line between the door/walkway with stepping stones to the area where there are currently a couple chairs at the corner of the pool. Give that side a nice swath of solid. I know you don't want to widen, but it will smooth out the traffic and line of sight. BBQ station close to the door where the stuff is currently stacked.

What kind of garden do you want? Flowers, veggie garden, more perennial action?

romanszone8 your yard turned out beautiful, what stain did you use on the fence? Like I said I didn't even know that was a thing! I also love hydrangeas and those stones in your hydrangea area look just like the ones I have stacked in that pile. That seems doable for me as well. How many feet out from the fence do you leave for the hydrangea bushes?

beesneeds There are all those small stones under the more decorative stones and I do not think it would be worth my energy to move all those smaller stones. It takes me forever to just move the onces I had on the other side of the yard to there. Ive decided I may move it back, but curve it. I think there is more room for a bbq over by the sunken deck since that area is all ready to go. I need a low maintenance garden as I work full time, have two kids and need to do the work myself - I can only handle so much hahah. Most likely not vegetables this year as we have our neighbors cats in our yard alot.

Good advice about being wary of what gets planted with the pool. Not just tree roots but tree flowers, seeds, and leaves are a constant bother with a pool. You might be able to add taller trellises here and there to the fence, and train flowering vines on them, for more privacy.

One thing that helped budget wise was to wait to buy plants until late summer/early fall, when nurseries and big box stores heavily discount shrubs and perennials. Most of my shrubs and trees were acquired that way, saving 50-75%. As someone above said, take the time this summer to prepare the areas for planting.

"Most bang for the buck improvement items" is pretty vague - can you make a list of specific improvements you want to see, then order it by what is most important to you and/or a pressing issue that needs fixing? (pressing need = things like bad drainage, improper roof runoff, a patch of invasive weeds, rotten fence boards). Also most do-able.

I would spend some time at the library, looking at home & garden magazines (my library has gone to all on-line that I can view from home) and checking out books to get more solid ideas of the way you want things to look in the end.

See if "walkable" ground covers would work in your area, instead of sod - to cut down on the mowing, fertilizing, weed control etc.

Do you have any family members who would pitch in to help? Maybe a preteen or teen for a few dollars?

Thank you! The stain I used is Ready Seal in the shade pecan. They have plenty of options but I like how this one has faded. At first it’s much more intense. It’s a fool proof stain, i just used a roller and followed up with a stain and it blended perfectly.

I used little lime hydrangeas and spaced them 6’ apart from center and 3’ from the fence line. Panicles are so easy and they bloom on new wood so you can prune them whenever. They’re also hardy and they don’t particularly care about soil composition. Just need to water every so often- full sun to partial shade! I just extended the bed to the right so they are significantly smaller but they catch up fast. I recently added gem box hollys in the front because they are a native evergreen and i wanted some winter interest since hydrangeas are deciduous.