Attend to repairs as you put furniture away for the season. For wood pieces, add a fresh coat of exterior finish or sealer and let it dry before storing. "Tighten loose screws, touch up paint, or spot ...

I’m going through the patio furniture store like a bodybuilder, picking up chairs and coffee tables in a dead lift. If I can hoist them with ease, I move on. “Lift that,” I say to my husband, Dan, ...