Backyard Camper Retreat | Perfect Guest House

Published by Gail | Published May 3, 2019 | Updated May 14, 2021
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Are you ready to see my backyard camper retreat and guest house? That’s right, the camper isn’t just for me, it’s already booked for my first guests! I’m so happy to be working with Ryobi on this Outdoor Overhaul. I think my backyard is the ultimate hangout for family and friends. I’ve already been enjoying it so much, even working on some more small projects seemed less like work.

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Let’s see how the final projects came together since we last checked in on the small deck install.

Too bad my friends at Ryobi don’t offer a backhoe! I did everything I could to make sure that this dump truck was going to be able to back all the way in to the space so it could dump and move. Little did I know so much gravel would land on the driveway and need to be moved!!

Watching the birds is enjoyable to me. Over the winter months, this birdbath had fallen over in the side yard. It had definitely seen better days but I thought it would be perfect for my new backyard camper retreat.

Wow! The Ryobi 2300 PSI Pressure Washer helped knock off all the dirt AND the loose paint! It was quickly ready to be painted.

While I had the pressure washer out, I cleaned a table and the propane tank for the grill. Please ignore all the mess. It’s amazing how much stuff was laying around during these few weeks!

Moving the camper was quite tricky. There were many obstacles in the way including a tree, the eaves of the garage, a fence and pipes sticking up from the former carport. These things will have to be dealt with before my first trip.

But! I have to say, just seeing it here makes me ONE HAPPY CAMPER! This was the main goal of the backyard hangout. Now I can camp in the backyard until I’m able to go REAL camping in early Summer. Plus, it’s going to make the perfect guest house! It’s a win/win for sure.

Simple Changes to Backyard camper retreat

I’ve had this base for years, I suppose it was for a birdbath. I needed to cover that sewer clean out pipe. This base happens to be made of resin and has a hollow area that fits right over the pipe. I didn’t want it to look fresh and new, but more like it had been around for awhile. The light coat of spray paint did just that. I placed one of my bowling ball gazing balls atop the base.

The succulent shutter looks nice with the newly painted vintage birdbath, don’t you think?

More Paint Freshens up the Space

It’s really easy to get discouraged as the days and weeks pass. I found myself wanting to skip steps and just call this job d.o.n.e. Have you been there with a DIY project? The basement window encasements and the foundation of the house were in need of a freshening up. I practically had to force myself to continue on and not leave those last minute tasks undone. I found myself making lists more than once.

Check out my new best friend! This 150-Watt Powered Inverter Generator for an 18-Volt Battery gives me portable power anywhere! I can easily charge my phone or use a fan in my backyard or even while camping!

How to Store Ryobi Outdoor 40V Tools

I don’t have a fancy shop to store my Ryobi outdoor tools, but when I cleaned out and moved the shed I told you that I got rid of a lot of stuff. That allows me to house all my Ryobi 40V Outdoor tools here as well as store the swing canopy, patio umbrella and more. You can see me using most of these tools in my post Building a Small Deck Plus Ryobi 40V Outdoor Tools.

Backyard Camper Retreat and Guest Quarters

This was the day of my unveiling for family and friends. We had a small get together with a cookout and of course some s’mores around the fire pit! The lawn suffered greatly during all of this work. I have laid sod and sewn grass seed, but of course that takes time.

Here’s the view from the driveway side. It’s so hard to believe it’s the same space from before.

I love the tiny solar lights atop the Texas lampposts. Did you see my post How to Make a Pallet Love Seat?

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So, there you have it! I’m not sure I’m done. You’ll probably be seeing a few more projects in the weeks to come as I complete the space. As I said at the top of this post the camper is already booked with my first guests. My daughter Jamie, her husband Andy and my Grandson Eli will be visiting very soon. It will be Eli’s first trip to Kentucky. I’m so excited that they will have their own little backyard campground.