Many of us pay a premium in order to find a property that has a reasonably large garden.
We do this because we believe that having such a garden is a real advantage, although the reality is that we may end up using it a lot less than expected.
Why should this be the case? It may often feel like there's a certain level of effort associated with spending time outdoors.
If we feel like a lot of preparation is involved, for instance, then this may be enough to cause us to pause and think about other options.
It seems to me that the real key to making better use of such outdoor space is to ensure that it becomes more integral to your way of life.
That's possible and often a lot easier than you may think.
To begin with, it's worth putting the focus of your attention on the reasons why you opted to buy a home with such a large garden in the first place.
You may have envisaged spending time dining outdoors, or maybe you thought that it would be a great space for the kids.
When you think about those original aims, you may also find that they reveal quite a lot about why things aren't turning out in the way that you had planned.
Let's look at these examples and see why things might go wrong.
When you're thinking about dining outdoors, it seems to me that there are some basic areas that you need to tackle.
You may wish to have a hard surface available, such as a patio.
On that, it makes sense to use a table and a set of chairs.
These basic elements should allow you to dine in this way more often.
If you're really keen to ensure that you increase the chances of using the space, then you might also think about buying something to offer cover or shelter.
There are various products on the market, with shade sails and parasols being obvious and effective choices.
Should you be cooking in the garden too? That's really up to you and is likely to be defined by your own approach.
If you're the sort of person who particularly enjoys barbeque cooking, then this is something that could spur you on.
If, on the other hand, you see this as being something of a hassle, then it's probably best to avoid it.
So that's taken care of your outdoor dining options, but we haven't stopped to consider why your kids don't play more outdoors.
One reason for this could be that you haven't created an environment that's safe enough, or that offers enough fun.
This may simply be a case of ensuring that adequate fencing is in place and taking the time to show your kids how much fun they could be having.