Interior Affairs: Lookin' out your back door

OUTDOORS | Get your yard and patio ready for the barbecue season

It wasn't until I took my first breath of 70 degree air very recently that I finally noticed spring had arrived. I began waking to the sound of kids playing basketball and the Chicano rap my neighbors like to play while fixing their car never sounded better. The cats jumped to look out the open windows and I remembered that I am one lucky renter in this city: I have a backyard.

Backyard barbecues are quite possibly the best thing about warm weather. The air fills with the sweet scent of cooked meat (or usually at my barbecues, grilled veggie dogs) and drinking during the day is justified by the warm breeze. Last summer I decided to take advantage of my digs and invite a few people over for some grilled deliciousness.

Unfortunately, my lack of proper yard furniture (or any for that matter) made it a little difficult for everyone to eat and drink comfortably. While I won't be purchasing a $2,000 patio set anytime in the near future, there are some cheap things that will make your next outing a little more manageable.

Entertaining is always stressful, and climbing three flights of stairs throughout your gathering to make sure all your guests are happy will surely ruin your afternoon. Coolers are an essential way to keep things fresh, cold and to keep you from running around like a crazy person.

If you want to get fancy (and trust that your fancy cooler won't get stolen if you get drunk and leave it outside) you can buy a sturdy, steel-belted cooler by Coleman for just less than $200. They brought back the Coleman cooler's "traditional" look, which is sleek and retro. Otherwise, a plastic, drag-along cooler will be a perfect fit for your Pabst.

Sure, you can drag your dining room chairs out to the yard and risk getting barbecue sauce on them, or you can get some cheap, folding or stackable chairs that can be put on your porch during the off-season. Ikea has loads of cheap chair options, from folding wood to stacking plastic.

But if you want to kill two birds with one stone, get a picnic table. They remind me of being 10 years old in the best way possible. Picnic Table Source is a site loaded with options, from park district chic coated metal to the classic wooden benches.

It may only be April, but there's no reason to wait until July Fourth for your first barbecue.