The beautiful weather means everyone wants to spend more time outside especially the little ones. Thing is, do you have storage solutions in mind for all the garden toys? We all know how quickly they can pile up and clutter every space inside, and outside, your home. Warmer weather usually brings about thunderstorms so you need ways to quickly and easily store garden toys to prevent injury or damage.
Packing all the toys back in the shed or garage at the end of every day isn’t ideal. It’s just creating more work for yourself. You also don’t want to risk leaving the toys out overnight so what do you do? There are a number of storage solutions that will help avoid a cluttered backyard and protect toys from the elements. A good place to start is with our simple toy storage and organising tips.
Storage Solutions Everyone Can Use
Where are your garden toys stored right now? Are they crammed into an already cluttered garage or garden shed? While it’s important to keep garden toys dry and protected over the winter to extend their lifespan, the tricky bit is constantly packing and unpacking. It might seem simple at first but before long, when the kids want all of their toys at the same time, getting everything out without breaking a sweat may be mission impossible.
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The Good ol’ Storage Shed
Not everyone has a garden shed but it does appear to be the first choice for many. Although they are great for lawn equipment, you could convert them into a toy storage shed. If you can’t store lawn equipment anywhere else, just be careful how you store things as you don’t want the little ones near dangerous objects. This includes lawnmower blades, rakes, spades and anything sharp. Here are some useful storage tips for garden furniture, equipment and more.
Store the kid’s riding toys such as trucks, tractors and trikes while keeping the smaller toys in boxes or buckets. Drill holes in the bottom of the toy box for the inevitable water and dirt to simply run out. Large buckets with rope handles are fantastic for storing buckets, shovels and other small outdoor toys. These are easy to organise, pack and store in the storage shed. If you arranged everything properly, packing away garden toys will be a breeze, even for the kids.
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Hanging Garden Of Milk Crates
We’ve all seen how effective and organised a hanging garden wall is. How about hanging milk crates on your fence to easily store garden toys? Stop running around picking up all the toys and shoving them into any old space you can find. Milk crates are inexpensive, durable and simple to use. Not only that, it keeps toys from lying in the sand or mud when it rains. For even better organising, you could colour code the milk crates. Black for bats, balls and rackets while blue is for any pool or water related toys. Do this right and you could have an outdoor storage system similar to inside the house where everything has its place.
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All Access Storage Boxes or Containers
Stackable recycling boxes with tilted front openings are designed to be accessible even while stacked. One of our favourite storage solutions is an all access toy storage box similar to re-purposed recycling boxes. These are ideal for storing small outdoor toys and sport equipment especially as they are weatherproof. Some containers even have a see-through panel in the front. This makes it easy to see what’s inside and for easy access without having to unpack everything.
If you’re not using clear containers or boxes, remember to label every single one. Use permanent marker and be specific about the content. Write in big letters what’s inside so the kids can easily identify the toys they’re looking for. Forget to label your boxes and you could find all the toys strewn all over the place.
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DIY Sandbox Storage
Possibly one of the more innovative storage solutions we’ve come across is converting a sandbox into a toy box. There’s no doubt having a sandbox is highly entertaining but it has some disadvantages too. Kids will be kids and we know that sand pretty much gets into everything. All the sand and dirt on their feet, hands, hair and clothes mean more mess to clean up.
Instead, transform the dirt pit into a toy storage box. Simply empty out the sand, add all the toys and remember to use a strong, durable and weatherproof cover. If you don’t, you might as well leave everything exposed to the elements on the lawn.
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Outdoor Storage Bench
Don’t know why we haven’t done this already! Similar to entryway storage, you could just use a bench with storage space underneath. A stylish, multi-functional garden bench is comfortable to sit on while offering ample storage space. Some have drawers while others are designed with a lift-up seat for safe storage. This is certainly one of the more practical storage solutions as it serves a dual purpose. While ideal for garden toy storage, it can also be used for cushions, tools and other garden accessories.
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Plastic Trugs (Buckets)
Plastic trugs are specially designed for the building trade which means they are extremely durable. These flexible, plastic buckets can withstand nearly anything the kids throw at it. They’re also available in a wide range of colours so you can sort toys into categories. Make it a fun exercise and ask your children to place their toys in the right coloured bucket. As mentioned before with other buckets, trugs also fill with water if left outside so they need to be placed under cover. Since they are flexible, very light and easy to carry, it shouldn’t be too difficult even for the little ones.
Although smart storage solutions for garden toys are essential, you need an organised system that is accessible to your child. Not only does this help you, it will make tidy up time much faster and could help them gain independence over toy selection and storage. Effectively storing and labeling all their toys will provide them the freedom to fetch whatever toys they want without asking you first. Before long, they could surprise you with storage solutions of their own combined with fun games they’ve come up with.
At Space Centre Self Storage we offer clean, dry and secure self storage units of all sizes. Our facilities are conveniently located in North Bristol, Gloucester and Stroud with experienced staff ready to assist in any way they can. Get in touch if you need additional storage for your household goods, business or collectibles.