That time of year has once again crept up on us. The weather has turned, the sun is setting earlier every day and the leaves are falling from the trees – without a doubt, winter is fast approaching. With the chillier season ahead, it is clear the nation is already beginning to prepare its outdoor spaces for the wet and windy weather, with Google searches for ‘garden furniture covers’ surging 900% in the past 30 days, according to one company.

So, with a huge demand from UK households to ensure the alfresco spaces they have invested in over the summer stay well-protected during the colder months, outdoor furniture retailer Harbour Lifestyle has offered its expert tips to ensure your garden furniture remains in tip-top condition, ready for its next outing in the spring.

Patrick Bridge, chief operations officer at Harbour Lifestyle, said: “As we have all invested in our garden spaces over the past few years, ensuring your furniture remains protected from the elements during the colder months is important. Here at Harbour Lifestyle, we often get asked ‘what the best way is to store garden furniture’ once the weather becomes more wintery. The answer actually depends on the type of furniture you are storing.

“The most common piece of furniture we get asked about is an outdoor sofa. If your sofa is high-quality, you don’t actually need to protect it in mild weather such as light rain. However, during periods of more severe downpours, it is a good idea to ensure it is sheltered. So, to store your outdoor sofa safely during the winter, you’re going to want to source a pair of breathable, water-resistant covers. One to store your seat cushions and one to protect the seat frame.

"Take all of your seat cushions and neatly place them in the storage bag or box for safekeeping until they are next needed. Then, simply place the frame cover onto your sofa, and attach it to one of the legs to ensure it isn’t blown away in strong winds.

“When the wintery weather has passed, furniture covers can actually do more harm than good. If the temperature outdoors is particularly high, heat can get trapped under your furniture covers, damaging the cushion fabric and filling. So, when the balmy weather returns, always be sure to remove your cover and store it away for the next rainy day.

“Another question we often get asked is how to protect wooden furniture pieces, such as dining tables and deck chairs. If you are looking to protect your hardwood outdoor furniture, I recommend treating it with a protector and shield product kit. Simply use the cleaning solution supplied within the kit to prep your wood, and then apply the protector and shield products as instructed by the manufacturer. This will ensure your wood retains its colour and becomes water-resistant. Over the winter months when your wooden furniture is not in use, I recommend covering it with a breathable cover for optimum protection from the elements.

“Here’s a little-known hack - if your wooden furniture is brand new, you should leave it outdoors for around two weeks to ensure all of the natural oils have been removed before applying any protective products. This will ensure the best, longest-lasting results possible.”