I love our back patio but the one big drawback was during the day, there was no shade to be had which made it basically unusable on a hot summer day. My solution – a big umbrella.

Rather than buying numerous umbrellas, I wanted a rolling umbrella base that could be moved wherever shade was needed. It needed to be at least a 50-pound base to securely hold our 9-foot umbrella. Let’s just say, heavy-duty rolling umbrella stands are pricey at around $300-$400 or more.

We DIY-ed a rolling umbrella base, instead. I bought a 50-pound steel plate umbrella base and my husband added casters for a total of $150.

The real reason I wanted the umbrella to roll is for shade of our sweet Emmie Lou. She loves laying on the outdoor couch during the day but gets so hot. We can now roll the umbrella wherever needed so she can comfortably nap in the shade.

Had enough sun in the pool? We’ve got you covered.

Need a shaded spot at the table? No problem. It’s little solutions like this that make me so happy. Emmie Lou and I love to spend as much time outside as possible during the spring/summer/fall months and this simple solution made it even better.