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Do you dream, of a beautiful, quiet, cozy place where you can relax at the end of the day? How about a secluded setting with a small bench, and maybe a storage box, where you can hide a few goodies (a book, some magazines, your knitting work, or needle point project) just for you?

Or maybe you'd rather enjoy a lively place where the entire family can join in the fun. You could build a tree house for the little ones, decorate your patio with some comfortable furniture, and maybe even install a nice pool, so you can cool off on the hot summer days.

If you read many magazines or watch TV you probably see great backyards all the time. It can make you envious if your own backyard is less than desirable. Thankfully, there are ways to do backyard makeovers to take your yard from dull to beautiful.

The first thing you need to do is assess your yard. If there is anything unsightly like discarded items that you don't use anymore it's time to get rid of them. Having things that aren't necessary in your yard can make it look cluttered.

Once you've gotten rid of the undesirables you can start to plan your yard makeover. If you know of a yard you'd love to take ideas from, take a look and start writing them down. It doesn't matter if this ideal yard is in your own neighborhood or in print somewhere.

Now, you certainly don't want your makeover to just be a complete copy of that backyard. You will need to find ways to put your own spin on it. For example, if you enjoy having friends over you will want to have a barbeque area.

When your list of makeover changes you want to make is complete you can start to take action on your yard. If you have the money you might want to invest in getting a professional involved. If you'd rather not pay someone else you can improve the look of your yard all on your own.

One of the first things you'll want to do is take care of the landscaping. Planting great looking trees and shrubs can instantly improve the look of your yard. If you'd like a garden, plant things that are in season and be prepared to change what you plant accordingly.

Once the landscaping is done you can start to think about accessories and decorations. These are really the things that make your backyard makeover unique. There are picnic tables, benches, yard d'cor, and other things you can add.

If you have children you will also want to make sure that your yard is fun as well as functional. You might invest in something as large as a swimming pool or as simple as a volleyball net. Consider the needs of your family and what they enjoy doing.

Doing backyard makeovers can be a lot of fun for you. Your yard will turn a lot of heads with its new look that is made to rival what people see on TV. Put your personality and desires into it and it will be so great that you'll want to spend all your time out there.