The $26 Find That’s Keeping My White Patio Furniture Pristine During NYC’s Harsh Winter Weather

The weather in New York City has been relentless over the past month. I’ve been living here for half a decade at this point, but the cold just seems especially bad this year — there was a polar vortex last month that covered the city in snow, and just this morning, it started coming down again. I’ve had enough! I know it comes with the territory of living in the Northeast, but I still haven’t gotten used to it and I’m not sure I ever will. (I grew up in Texas, what can I say?)

This is also the first year that I’ve had a balcony, which — as much as I absolutely love it — creates a bunch of other problems during the winter. For one, my apartment is shockingly drafty, courtesy of my patio door. Another is that I for some reason thought it was a good idea to buy a white outdoor loveseat. Visually, it’s totally gorgeous. Practically, I should’ve considered all of the rain and snow it would have to hold up against. Thankfully, early on in the season, I snagged an outdoor furniture cover on Amazon that has done wonders in protecting my sofa from the elements.

This $26 cover is designed to fit most kinds of outdoor sofas, ranging from loveseats to benches, and it comes in dozens of different sizes. There are even L-shaped sizes available to accommodate larger furniture. They’re all made out of 420D durable Oxford material, featuring UV-resistant coating and waterproof backing to keep out rain, wind, snow, dirt, and so on. There’s even an air vent to keep the inside dry just in case. To keep it in place, it’s equipped with two fastening straps, two buckles, and one elastic cord that secures it at the base.

Even before winter hit, I started having some problems with my white sofa — which I’ll admit I chose for aesthetics over functionality. Loose dirt would always wind up on the cushions, likely falling off from the balcony above mine. Still, I love my little loveseat. It’s the perfect size, stylish, and surprisingly comfortable. I was in no rush to fork over a few hundred dollars for a sofa in a different color either. A cheaper solution, I decided? A waterproof cover.

At first, I tried a tarp that was left over from when I moved. I should’ve known that it wouldn’t do the trick — even the slightest breeze made it rustle loudly, and I would hear it all night long. So, in the fall, I set out to find a real furniture cover that would stay put before the weather got worse. Amazon’s KylinLucky Outdoor Furniture Sofa Cover checked all of my boxes at first glance, with reviewers even going so far as to say it’s “perfect” and “the best” cover they’ve ever purchased. I was immediately convinced.

Luckily, this furniture cover has lived up to the hype. It’s about as far from flimsy as you can get, thick and durable enough so that rain and snow pools on top of it and rolls right off. Further, it’s completely secure thanks to the ties. It was also effortless to slip into place. I ordered a slightly larger size than needed, coming in about 10 inches wider and longer than my sofa. Honestly, I probably could’ve gone smaller, but the extra inches make it easier to pull the cover on and off. I have three pillows underneath it, too! And, despite the roomier size, it still doesn’t billow in the wind like my old tarp did. The ties and elastic keep it sealed and steady — even during winter storms.

I’m so glad I made the switch before the NYC weather took a turn for the worse. My white sofa still looks pristine underneath, so it’ll be ready to use as soon as it warms up outside. I’m planning on keeping this cover on top of my sofa year round, though — and I’ll likely grab the matching coffee table cover in the meantime, and if I ever add a chair to my balcony, the brand has a cover for that, too!

Buy: KylinLucky Outdoor Furniture Sofa Cover, $25.99