Outdoor Storage Solution Ideas

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Great overview of different outdoor storage ideas:

It’s a common problem. You look out at your back yard just before visitors arrive, and see it strewn with toys, garden tools, barbecue accessories and kicked-off flip-flops — where are you going to put them all before they get here? If only you had a bit more outdoor storage, where it could all be stashed away.
Of course, it wouldn’t be so bad if everyone put stuff away when they had finished with it, but human nature isn’t like that. If you like your outside area to look neat, or if you care what the neighbors think, outdoor storage will be important for you. Fortunately, there are several different forms of outdoor storage to help you keep things under control.
Try an Outdoor Storage Box
Obviously, the most flexible and versatile solution to your outdoor storage problems is an outdoor storage box, and these come in a multitude of different types and sizes. The big advantage of an outdoor storage box is that you can put it anywhere in the garden without it looking unsightly or out of place, and as it can be used as seating or even a table as well, it makes a useful piece of garden furniture too. The boxes can come in the form of deck boxes, and can be made of metal, resin, wood, fiberglass or plastic.
When looking for an outdoor storage box, your main concern will be durability and weatherproofing, as well as appearance. Plastic, resin and fiberglass are the best for weatherproofing, and are very light and movable, but fiberglass is not really durable enough for climates with rapid changes in temperature. Usually the most popular option is wood, which can be treated to make it weatherproof, and is often the most attractive to look at.

This 150 gallon deck box by Lifetime comes very highly rated.

One of the best-known brands in this area is Rubbermaid outdoor storage, and they offer a wide range of boxes. Their large deck box with seat, at $125, made of resin, is completely weather resistant and maintenance-free, and gives you 12 cubic feet of storage — enough for hoses, rakes and lawn chairs — and the extra large one at $165 holds even more. Another well-known name is Suncast, who also offer a range of deck boxes with seats. For example their 129 gallon capacity (20 cubic feet) box with seat is priced at $108.
Outdoor Storage Bench — Even Better
Of course, if you really like your outdoor storage to double up as garden furniture, an outdoor storage bench is a brilliant solution. A bench can enhance any aspect of your garden, as well as providing convenient seating, and is the perfect answer to the problem of the hasty clear-up when visitors are about to arrive. The visitors can relax and chat, and sip their coffee, without having any idea about all the clutter they are sitting on.
If you are looking for a suitable outdoor storage bench, the Rubbermaid Resin Patio storage bench at $149, providing 32 gallons of storage, looks beautifully elegant and will complement any corner of your garden, while the Suncast Patio Storage bench, offering 31 gallons, costs only $64. Alternatively, the Keter Bench Deck Box, at $70, holds double the capacity. Rubbermaid outdoor storage also offer an extremely elegant outdoor storage cabinet in rattan wicker, for $224 — this will look very chic on your patio or in your gazebo, and with122 gallons capacity will store seat cushions, barbecue supplies and garden tools. All these products are available from Home Depot and require assembly.

This resin storage bench by Suncast has a 50 gallon storage capacity.

You Probably Need a Shed
If an outdoor storage bench or box isn’t adequate to deal with your clutter challenge, an outdoor storage shed may be what you need. In fact, if your nerves are becoming increasingly frayed by seeing garden and pool equipment lying around haphazardly, and never being able to find what you are looking for, a shed is a must-have item. Your main decision is not whether to have one, but how to come by it. You can decide to build it yourself or have a contractor build it, but your easiest option is to buy a prefabricated shed, or an easy-to-assemble kit.
Materials
The most popular materials for outdoor storage sheds are wood, vinyl, resin and polyethylene plastic. Wood is very frequently used because of its attractive appearance, which can complement the style of your house, and blend in with your garden furniture. However, wooden outdoor storage sheds are quite a lot more expensive than those of other materials, partly because of the cost of timber.
Vinyl, resin and plastic are becoming increasingly popular for outdoor storage sheds, because of their exceptional durability and serviceability. Although vinyl lacks the visual appeal of wood, if your house has a vinyl siding there’s a lot to be said for having a vinyl shed, which will complement your house. Resin and plastic can often be made to look like wood, which means you have the attractive appearance and extra durability at a lower price.
Things to Consider
When ordering outdoor storage sheds, you need to think ahead of time about exactly what you want to store, so that you will get the size right. In addition, think of the biggest item you are likely to store — for example, ladders — and then make sure the doors are big enough for the item to go through. To make your shed as versatile as possible, have a shelving unit against at least one interior wall, with shelves of varying depths.
When installing outdoor storage sheds, whether building from scratch or assembling from a kit, the foundation is all-important. You need to lay a concrete slab or cinder blocks, or at least crushed stone. In addition, you need to ensure the underlying supports are constructed of pressure-treated wood.

The Suncast 7 1/2 feet by 10 1/2 feet storage shed features 1 1/2″ thick walls, 14 windows, double doors, and easy assembly. Cheaper than wooden a wooden shed and more durable.

Again, Rubbermaid and Suncast are well-known names for outdoor storage sheds, along with Lifetime and Keter. The Rubbermaid Big Max storage shed, built in durable double-wall resin, is lockable and is priced at $649. It measures 7 x 7 feet, while the Ultra model at $1,999 measures 10 x 7 feet, and includes an impact-resistant heavy-duty floor. The Suncast Alpine range, also in resin, are priced from $699 to $1,199 according to size (7’2″ x 7’6″ to 7’6″ x 10’8″), and feature reinforced gable-style roofs. Lifetime outdoor storage sheds, priced from $699 to $1,399 (8 x 10 feet to 8 x 15 feet), boast a stylish and attractive appearance as extra selling points. They are built of high of high-density polyethylene plastic, and unlike the Rubbermaid and Suncast sheds, they include shelving units and peg strips.
Neat Solution for Outdoor Bike Storage
One very particular outdoor storage headache can be where to keep the family bicycles. They look awful in the house, and can be a nightmare if someone falls over them in the middle of the night. In the garage it’s really hard to fit them in with the cars.
If there isn’t space for your bikes in your shed, one clever outdoor bike storage solution is provided by Yardstash, with their compact storage tent. The tent which looks really smart is made of heavy-duty polyester, with a tarpaulin roof, and is completely weatherproof. It will hold a couple of bikes easily, but could also be used for your lawn mower, pool equipment, or any other outdoor gear — in fact, it’s an excellent outdoor storage solution for anyone with limited space. It assembles in minutes, and costs only $129.

The best outdoor bike storage option is the super-tough YardStash III.

Outdoor storage doesn’t seem like something to get excited about. However, when you see how your outdoor areas can be transformed by these simple solutions, you are guaranteed to be in transports of delight, especially if the problem had been keeping you awake at night. You can say goodbye to a messy, cluttered yard, and embark on a life of order and organization, with a place for everything and everything in its place