DIY A Simple Outdoor Shower Using Super Affordable Materials

How many times have you wished you had an outdoor shower? That time you slipped in the mud on a hike? An entire soccer season? This fancy fixture doesn't have to be reserved for Caribbean homes or a well-appointed pool house. Create one of your own for freshening up al fresco once warm weather sets in. Plus, it's easy to make and involves delightfully inexpensive supplies.

This simple set up relies on garden chains to hold a hula hoop that's strung with a shower curtain and a flexible hose with an adjustable nozzle. Hang the assemblage from a tree branch, a building's roof overhang, or a post topped with a hook. TikToker @whitneyleighmorris built a perfect outdoor shower with nearby hooks for bath essentials, fairy lights, and an ethereal sheer curtain. Not too many of us would feel comfortable showering outdoors behind something see-through; the results are enchanting, but you can still have an enchanting outdoor shower with an opaque curtain.

This hula hoop upcycle requires one with a 3 to 5 foot diameter. Purchase a length of lightweight chain that's appropriate for hanging plant baskets or similar. Have a ladder on hand and a measuring tape, as well. You can go traditional and attach the curtain to the hoop from plastic rings or go for more attractive fabric ties or ribbons. Also consider a shower curtain with added weights along the bottom seam; these could prevent unintended exposure on a windy day! For an added touch, place a small table, a shepherd's crook, or a wall-mounted shelf with hooks next to the shower for quick access to soap, shampoo, and towels.

Scout out a good spot for your installation. A perfectly situated tree branch is ideal, but the corner of a pergola or a deck post equipped with a long plant hanging hook arm will also work. You'll also need to be close enough to a water spout for the hose to reach. However, unless it's a scorcher, hose water isn't a warm welcome on most days. Forgo the hose for a solar heated shower upgrade. If you snag one that holds 10 to 15 gallons and give it several hours of glorious sun, you can end up with a comfortable, long-ish shower hung any place. However, those can set you back over $50, so if you're content with a much shorter shower (like 2 minutes), a very affordable 5 gallon one will set you back about the same or even less than combos of a flexible hose and adjustable nozzle while also treating you to warm water.

Attach the shower curtain to the hula hoop, and lay it on a flat surface. Measure its length from hoop to the bottom hem. At the spot you've chosen to hang the shower, step carefully onto the ladder, and measure the height from the hanging point to the ground. Subtract the length of the curtain fixture from the height. Use that as the measurement for your four chains. Once you connect the chains to the hoop, all four will come together to hang at one point. Because the chains will be angled up from the hula hoop's edge, this should raise the curtain a few inches more so it doesn't touch the ground.

Affix the chains at even spaces around the hoop. Pay attention to where the opening in the curtain is, so that the chains won't interfere with the sliding curtain. If your garden chains are equipped with handy hooks at one end, cluster them together for hanging. If not, link the ends of the chains together around a sturdy metal ring for hanging or connect them with a carabiner. (Use a bit of rope to coil around the branch and through the ring for tree-mounted showers.)

For the water element, either loop the hose over the branch or hook. You can do similarly for a solar shower, but having a separate hook for it could help; you'll need to be able to take it down for refilling and setting it in the sun to warm. A short bungee cord may be just the right length to hang from a hook or branch. Place your small table or shepherd's hook next to the shower, and it's ready for its first filthy customer.

A couple of cheap add-ons make this project worthy of a wellness yard. For extra comfort, pick up some adhesive magnetic closures to secure your curtain mid-shower and a flexible draining shower mat for clean feet. Or make use of a wooden pallet to stand on like our inspirational TikToker did. They painted one white for a clean aesthetic that costs little to nothing. As long as the weather holds, you may not take an indoor shower for months.