Enjoying your backyard in the summer months is a treat if you have been cooped up indoors during the cold and wet months. Here are four ways you can spruce up your yard and make it a summer haven.

1. Clean your outdoor furniture
After months of not being used and sitting around collecting dust and dirt, your outdoor furniture probably looks less than inviting. It's time to break out a bucket of water and soap and clean them up. If they still look shabby, you can paint them. This is a good way to change the look of your backyard furniture for the cost of a can of paint.

2. Create shaded places to relax
During the summer months, it's nice to spend time outdoors, but there should be shaded areas so that no one has to be directly in the sun. If you're lucky enough to have a large tree in your backyard, you can arrange to seat underneath. If you have a table on which you have meals outdoors, use an umbrella to create shade.

3. Add colorful flowers
One of the joys of summer is the abundance of bright colors. You can purchase or grow flowers to add to the patio or perimeter of your yard. Bright colors put people in a good mood and make them want to spend time in the area. If you're a creative person, you might also want to paint your flowerpots to add extra color.

4. Add lighting for evenings
Enjoying your backyard doesn't have to stop when the sun goes down. You can string lights around your yard and enjoy it in the evening as well. You can go as simple as white lights around your patio, or get more creative if you're the crafty and adventurous type. You can find dozens of lighting ideas online.

It doesn't take a lot of money to improve the look of your yard, just a little time and creativity.