I cover my patio furniture because I’ve found it’s a lot more convenient. When spring finally comes and I run out to my Adirondack chair to bask in the young sun, I just whip off the cover and sit down. I don’t have to brush off leaves, vacuum any pine needles, set the cushions out to dry, or wipe off any crusted dirt. I suppose the covers protect my furniture as well, but mostly they’re just plain convenient.

Last summer I got a fire pit for my backyard, and when spring came, I decided to built a fire in the evening. But, I had to dump out the fire bowl (melted snow had collected there), wipe out wet leaves and dirt, and sponge out the sides, so it was dry enough to use.

With what a cover queen I am, I felt dumb that I hadn’t thought to get one for my fire pit. Shopping online, I found a lot of covers, and quite frankly I was overwhelmed. Do you sort by price? By size? How do I know what would be good for my fire pit?

I ran across this Veranda Elite Square Fire Pit Cover, and it sounded promising. The fabric was water proof (apparently plastic-based covers can crack and deteriorate easily, depending on where you live) and UV protected, but also had air vents so any trapped water or condensation underneath wouldn’t fester into mildew or mold spots. What I also liked was the elastic hem/toggle feature, so you can adjust the cover to be flush with your fire pit and fit tightly around it. Won’t blow off or slide off.

And more importantly, it would keep my fire pit clean. I value the “protection” and “cover” it provides, but it keeps it clean and dry, so I can have a fire whenever I want. I’m a low-maintenance kind of girl, and whatever will make my life easier, I get.