Make the Most of Your Outdoor Space This Fall

Summer may be ending, but that doesn’t mean you should start spending all of your time inside. McGuinn Hybrid Homes has always recognized the importance of inviting outdoor living spaces, which is why we include as many options as possible for decks, patios and porches in our floor plans. Additionally, the era of COVID-19 made homeowners reevaluate what they want in a home—and the number of people making outdoor living space non-negotiable increased exponentially over the past year.  

If you’re lucky enough to have a home with a spacious backyard and ample outdoor living space, there’s lots of ways to make the most of time spent outside. One popular option is hosting an at-home tailgate to support your favorite college or pro teams during football season. Our team rounded up some tips to set the stage and bring the excitement, camaraderie and tailgate-friendly traditions to your home this season. 

Get your space ready for gameday 

The first step to creating the ideal atmosphere for your at-home tailgate is preparing a seating area. It can be an outdoor dining set to enjoy your favorite football food, furniture around a patio-safe television or folding lawn chairs to spend time outside while watching the game. For a real tailgating experience, consider buying a team-branded canopy tent to hang out under (if you don’t already have a covered patio).  

Then add in some spirited decor. You can find branded tablecloths, napkins, plates and more for most teams to make it clear who you’re rooting for. Embrace your team’s colors by adding a few throw pillows to your outdoor couch, or really go all out with your team’s logo hung up as an outdoor-safe metal sign or flag. 

Cook up the tastes of tailgating 

Arguably one of the best parts of tailgating is the food, and now you get to enjoy it from the comfort of your own home. Fire up your backyard grill for hot dogs or burgers to get your stadium-food fill—or go a little fancier with steak, grilled corn and kebabs. If you’re lucky enough to own (and know how to safely use) a smoker, everyone loves barbecue or a batch of wings during the big game. Since you’ll be tailgating close to the kitchen, keep the big batch of chili warm inside on the stove top or crockpot. Another benefit to tailgating from home is keeping cold items crisp in your refrigerator instead of a cooler. Make layered dips, fresh salsa and pasta salads the night before to free up your mornings. 

Bring old traditions home and create new ones 

The hardest part of being away from the stadium for games is being away from the traditions that make your team special to you—so be sure to include them in any way you can. Play their fight song over your speakers, participate in whatever chants you have memorized and maybe even pull up halftime performances (marching bands, dance teams, etc.) on YouTube to get the ultimate home-game experience.  

We also recommend busting out your favorite tailgating games in the yard or driveway. Toss a football around, compete in cornhole or play some ladder toss before kickoff.   

Use your outdoor space to make memories with friends and family 

Watching the game from home with fellow fans can be just as fun as attending the game in person, and we hope these tips inspire you to show team spirit and enjoy your outdoor living space in a whole new way. If your current house lacks the outdoor living space you need for your family, it might be time to find your next home. 

McGuinn Hybrid Homes builds affordable, high-quality homes with ample outdoor living space in Columbia, South Carolina and its surrounding suburbs. With over 30 years of experience building in the area, we’re ready to help you find the floor plan, community and town that your family will thrive in. Browse our roster of new-construction communities to narrow down your favorites, then contact our team to learn more about our process or schedule a tour.