There’s a surprisingly simple way to create the illusion of having more outdoor space: keeping it organized. Tucking your gardening gear all together, stacking your firewood compactly, and storing your tools out of sight until you need them will make the space you have seem so much larger and more inviting. Just as important, many backyard storage solutions protect your equipment and supplies from the elements, extending their lifespan. They’ll also minimize the chances of your gear being “borrowed” and of kids hurting themselves with it.
Not sure what solutions are best for organizing your outdoor space? Consider these:
Portable garages
When you have sizable equipment such as riding mowers, garden tractors, snowmobiles, or kayaks that you want to easily access yet protect, a portable garage is ideal. These garages are available in myriad sizes and configurations; some are large enough to protect an SUV with room to spare. If you like to tinker with old cars, a portable garage can keep the vehicles out of sight until they’re no longer eyesores. It can also serve double duty as a workroom if you’ve outgrown your basement or you prefer to work in a more open setting.
Metal sheds
Metal sheds range in size from small enough to fit on a porch to larger than many living rooms. Those with locking handles or dual handles that can be padlocked also provide extra security for whatever you keep inside. Many people like the permanence of metal sheds’ appearance, even landscaping around them so that they complement the rest of the backyard and add to the value of your home. And speaking of permanence, metal sheds are typically more durable than wooden ones: They’re much less likely to rot, warp, or develop mildew; termites can’t nibble on them; and they don’t need to be repainted every other year or so.
Firewood Racks
Keeping your firewood in piles not only looks sloppy but can also be dangerous; it’s all too easy for a log to slip loose and become a tripping hazard, or for a storm to disrupt the pile altogether. A firewood rack lets you stack your wood much more efficiently. By keeping the wood off the ground, it minimizes rotting as well. What’s more, covering a tidy bundle of logs to keep them dry is much easier than trying to cover a sprawling mass, and many firewood storage racks even come with covers.
Deck Boxes
If you spend significant time in your backyard, you’ll wonder how you survived without a deck box. Cushions for your patio furniture, pool cleaning supplies, sports equipment: A deck box will keep all these essentials tucked away but within easy reach. And its uses extend far beyond a deck or patio. Use a deck box to keep out-of-season sports gear organized within your garage or to ensure that you’ll find your small gardening supplies amid the larger tools you keep in your shed.