Save On Outdoor Storage: Your Ultimate Outdoor Storage Guide

Organizing your stuff outdoors can be quite a challenge because outdoor storage is not exactly as easy and obvious as an indoor storage space. You need to be a little more creative in terms of creating storage in your backyard and open spaces.

 

 

Fortunately, there are hundreds of ways to create storage for your possessions that need to be put away temporarily. There are plenty of options available for small, medium, and large outdoor areas.

 

 

This article aims to help you choose the best outdoor storage ideas and solutions so that you can manage your outdoor spaces and items without a hassle.

 

 

How To Buy Storage – Outdoor Storage Solutions

 

First things first, when it comes to buying storage for outdoors, two things that you need to keep in mind are what kind of space you have and your individual budget.

 

Storage Space

The space that you want storage items has a big role to play while you are deciding what to purchase.

 

 

If you have a large outdoor area, you can get whatever and however many storage items you want.

 

 

But if you have a smaller space, you want to get items that have more storage opportunities but occupy less area. These include foldable items or customized storage spaces.

 

 

Storage Cost

 

The second most important thing that you need to keep in mind is what kind of budget you have.

 

 

If you have a convenient amount of money to spend, you can get items appropriate to the primary as well as secondary needs like brands and aesthetics, etc.

 

 

However, if you are a little low on budget or do not wish to spend a lot of money on your outdoor storage, the best way to go is to opt for storage items that fulfill your primary needs first, such as the required storage space and appropriate sizing, while staying in your budget.

 

 

To find these items, you will have to look a little deeper into the storage ideas and market to find the ones that suit your requirements and do not cost you a lot.

 

 

Outdoor Storage Ideas

Outdoor Storage Sheds – Top Picks

 

 

 

 
Outdoor Storage Sheds: What Does It Do?

Sheds are like small houses with one room, four walls, a door, and a roof. They are used to store and organize your outdoor tools and equipment, like gardening supplies, picnic items, chairs, and other items that you need to put aside.

 

 

You can organize all this on shelves, storage boxes, hooks, and basically however you like. They can be as big and as small as you need, so you can get a shed according to your individual requirements.

 

 

How To Choose Your Outdoor Storage Sheds?

There are endless options in the market that you can choose from, but as simple as it may seem, choosing a storage shed can be quite a tricky decision to make. It involves a lot of consideration, from design to budget to materials to size. Every person has an individual outdoor space, so every shed has to be picked accordingly.

 

 

Design Considerations

Just like a bookshelf can have a huge impact on how your living room looks, the kind of shed that you choose for your lawn can change the appearance of your outdoor space. Be considerate of what your interior and exterior design looks like and choose a shed that matches the overall theme. Take into account the color, the texture, the design, and the material that you’re choosing.

 

Types Of Materials To Choose From

Since there are plenty of shed choices when it comes to materials, each one has its own pros and cons and you need to choose what fits best to your budget, requirements, and convenience.

 

 

Wood:

 

 

Wood is a popular material used for outdoor storage. It looks beautiful, it comes in different colors and designs, and it is easily customizable. However, maintaining wooden sheds can be a hassle sometimes. Protecting them from rust, mildew, and from rotting away can be quite stressful, especially if you live in an area where there is a lot of humidity in the air.

 

 

 

Metal:

 

 

Metal is another popular storage material. These are known best for being strength and durability. They are the most secure option and are also easily customizable. However, metal tends to warm up pretty quickly so if you live in a very hot climate, you would like to know that your shed will get surprisingly warm during the hot summers.

 

 

 

Plastic:

 

 

Plastic is good for people who are looking for budget-friendly options. They are not as expensive and are very low maintenance. The best part is that they are lightweight, so you can move these around with you in case you decide to shift houses. You can even move them around the same lawn if you feel like changing their location every once in a while.

 

 

Is It Affordable?

Different people have different budgets so the best way to finding out whether a shed is affordable to you or not used to compare its price to what it is offering in terms of quality and space.

 

 

The Keter Fusion sheds are raw wood, which means that they endure humid weather and extreme temperatures better than the normal wood. They are relatively easier to maintain but look equally aesthetic in an outdoor setting.

 

 

These shades have a steel reinforced top and have air vents below that prevent excess humidity and odor inside the shed. The shed also has lots of natural light coming through the windows as well as the skylight installed into it. It costs about 1800 to 2000 dollars.

 

 

Arrow has a good reputation in the shed industry for its good quality, aesthetically-pleasing steel sheds. This one, in particular, is 6 by 5 in size and is very easy to assemble it has a convenient size that makes it suitable for small large and medium outdoor spaces.

 

 

It gives you 147 cubic feet of storage space so that you can put inside your equipment tools and outdoor furniture until needed. The shed is made of durable steel but has a wooden appearance to fit your aesthetic style. It retails for about $310.

 

 

The Kita store-it-out MIDI is a budget-friendly option for people who want extra storage space in their lawns and backyards. It is made out of polypropylene plastic and steel and is very tolerant in terms of the weight it can hold.

 

 

It is resistant to extreme weather and is light enough to be moved around easily. For $117, it has plenty of space for you to hide away you are pool and picnic supplies as well as extra trash cans and baskets.

 

Types Of Outdoor Storage Shed

 

There are various kinds of outdoor Storage sheds designed and manufactured for various purposes in mind. It is important that you choose a shed according to what you want it for and where you want to install it.

 

 

 

Best Bike Sheds – Top Picks

 

 

 

Bike Storage: What does it do?

A bike-storage shed gives you separate storage space so that you can keep your bikes and vehicles safe, managed, and clean, away from the extreme weather and damage.

 

How Big Does A Storage Shed Need To Be For A Bike Storage?

The minimum size of a bicycle storage shed should be 1.8 meters long, 1.07 meters high, and 0.56 meters wide if you plan to store one bike. You can calculate the requirements for your individual shed according to this criterion.

 

 

Bike Storage Hooks

Heavy-duty bike storage hooks are an excellent way to store your bike in your outdoor storage shed while saving up space at the same time.

 

 

Vertical Bike Storage

The size of the storage shed also depends on how you want to store the bikes. Vertical bike storage takes more height while horizontal bike storage spaces should be wider.

 

 

Horizontal Bike Storage

Horizontal bike storage easily allows you to store your bike in an efficient manner by placing it parallel to the floor. You essentially hang your bike off the fall and free up most of the floor space.

 

 

Is it affordable?

According to what fits your interior and exterior design better and what your budget is, you can make your purchase decision.

 

 

Design Considerations

The Suncast Stow provides you space for 2 to 3 bikes and a padlock and chain locking system.

The YardStash bike shed provides you space for two bikes and is compatible with padlocks and chain locks.

Keter Manor has a space of 131.8 cubic feet and is made of durable and lightweight material. It has a skylight and an attractive wood-like texture.

 

How To Store Efficiently To Maximise Your Storage Space?

To make sure that you get the most out of your bike shed, decide how many vehicles you want to store in it and what their sizes are. Buy a shed according to these requirements. Once you get the shed, add hooks and strings to the walls so that you can hang the little items such as helmets and belts on the side and make more room on the floor for the bikes.

 

DIY Or Go Pro?

The choice honestly depends on you in terms of your budget and how much time and effort you’re willing to invest in the project. Going DIY is a better idea for a number of reasons, the biggest one being that you can easily plan out your storage space according to your storage needs.

 

 

However, we understand that not everyone has that kind of time and therefore, a ready-made storage solution is a better idea. No matter what decision you end up making, make sure you take into account your storage needs before you invest.
 

 

How To Store Efficiently To Maximise Your Storage Space?

 

To ensure that you use the maximum area of space in your storage shed, make a list of all the things that you want to store or put away. Instead of putting things here and there, use smaller baskets and boxes that will help you arrange more items without occupying much space.

 

 

Preferably use transparent boxes to help you find things easily. You can even label these boxes to find things even quicker. Keep the larger heavier items at the back and the smaller more frequently used items at the front. Try to keep more items in a vertical position. You can use hooks and strings if they keep falling or disturb your other storage items. Adding high shelves and racks can help you store some items above your head and create more space down on the floor.

 

 

Zoning Laws

If you have a shed smaller than 8 x 10, you will not need a permit to build it. However, larger storage sheds need a special building permit under zoning laws. Without a permit, you do not have the legal permission to install a shed inside or around your property. Breaking these rules can get you in trouble and can even get your shed taken down.

 

 

Outdoor Storage Sheds – DIY Or Go Pro?

There are two ways to install your shared once you have chosen it. You can either build it yourself or hire a person (or team) for help.

 

 

If you want to go for the DIY option, you will save a lot of money and also have some fun being creative with your building skills and tools. You can take as much time as you want to build it and will save the hassle of people moving in and out of your house.

 

 

However, if you are busy and do not want to spend a lot of time and effort building a shed, you can ask the company for it to be delivered to you and request them to send along with professional installers who will install the shed for you.

 

 

Types Of Outdoor Storage

 

Outdoor Storage Box – Top Picks

 

 

 

What Does It Do?

Outdoor storage boxes are trunks and chests that can be put outside the house. They are used to store items like fabrics, tools, and supplies.

 

 

How Does It Help The User?

Outdoor storage helps the user in making up some space inside their houses by moving things that they will not be using every day, out of the house in the outdoor storage. Things are out of sight but at the same time are always in reach whenever they are required.

 

 

Is It Affordable?

There are many different options for outdoor storage out there in the market. They all vary in build quality, sizes, and ultimately everything leads to their prices being different from each other. There are many affordable options for outdoor storage that you can consider buying or even build one yourself according to your space and requirements which might even cost you less. Outdoor storage can cost you a minimum of around $50 a month and can go up from there.

 

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

You can maximize the space inside a storage box by categorizing the things that you want to store in each of them. If your storage box does not have sections, you can create them yourself by using DIY methods such as cardboard pieces. Having portions inside your storage box will allow you to get the maximum use out of them and keeping your stuff more organized and easy to find.

 

 

 

Outdoor Bike Storage – Top Picks

 

 

 

What Does It Do? 

Outdoor bike storage is one of the best ways to keep your bikes managed and safe outside. Open and closed sheds of all sizes and designs are easily available on the market. They keep your bikes in one place, away from harsh weather and easy to access at any time. 

 

 

How Does It Help The User? 

By installing an outdoor bike storage space, you can save the vehicles from being wet, or rusty in humid or hot climates. They also save you time when you are in a rush and want a bike ready to go. 

 

 

Is It Affordable? 

Depending on what brand, size, and material you want, bike storage can cost you from 100 to 200$.

 

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

In order to make the most out of these spaces, you can store the bike’s side by side and even vertically against the wall, as some storage spaces allow that. Try to hang the helmets, belts, and keys against the walls using hooks, to make more space on the floor for the bikes.

 

 

Outdoor Storage Bench – Top Picks

 

 

 

 

What Does It Do? 

An outdoor storage bench is a bench with a storage cabinet that you can put outside in your backyard. It is a bench so you can sit there and relax it and the storage cabinet allows you to move unnecessary things out of sight.

 

 

How Does It Help The User?

An outdoor storage bench provides the user with some extra space to put things while being a fancy looking bench at the same time. It looks good in the backyard and you can always use it for sitting.

 

 

Is It Affordable? 

Storage benches are available in the market at different prices, starting from about just over $100 and going all the way up to almost $300 in most cases.

 

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

You can maximize the space inside a storage bench by managing the things that you put in them. Do not aimlessly throw things inside the storage compartment. Try to be neat and properly arrange things inside so you can get the maximum space out of your outdoor storage bench.

 

 

Outdoor Shoe Storage  – Top Picks

 

 

 

What Does It Do? 

Outdoor shoe storage products are best for storing shoes that you might need outdoors or when you leave the house. You can even use it for storing things like shopping bags and caps. They are very versatile.

 

How Does It Help The User? 

Outdoor shoe storages help users by providing space to store their shoes in a manageable way. Rather than shoes lying inside the house, it provides a specified space for putting them. Some of these are also dustproof and waterproof, meaning that your shoes are not only well managed in a space, but also are protected from dust and rain.

 

Is It Affordable? 

Outdoor shoe storages can vary in prices. These are available in the market starting from nearly $50 and the prices can go up from there according to what the product has to offer. You can probably build a small shoe storage at home for even less than $50.

 

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

You can maximize space inside outdoor shoe storage effectively by managing how you put shoes in them. You can put shoes in an orderly manner, each shoe side by side in pairs. You can also arrange shoes such that each pair of shoes is placed on top of the other, same sides facing together.

 

 

Outdoor Storage Cupboard – Top Picks

 

 

 

 

What Does It Do?

Outdoor storage shelves provide space for storage because these come with ready-made compartments and separate sections. You can store items according to the size of these shelves and sections. They can be used to store tools, supplies, organizing boxes, and even shoes. They are the most versatile kind of storage space.

 

 

How Does It Help The User?

The design of an outdoor storage shelf allows the user to divide each compartment according to what he decides to store in it. It allows him to allot each compartment for specific kinds of objects. Sturdy shelves also mean that you can use to store things like cups and plates as well.

 

Is It Affordable?

Buying an outdoor storage cupboard might not be affordable for all. These start from over $200 and go up as you go for more space and better quality. You might even be able to make a storage cupboard at home for a much lower cost, but chances are that the one you make will not be as durable as the ones you can buy in the market.

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

You can maximize your storage space in an outdoor cupboard by assigning each separate cabinet/compartment to some specific kind of materials rather than randomly fitting things in.

 

 

 

Outdoor Cushion Storage – Top Picks

 

 

What Does It Do? 

Outdoor cushion storages are used to store cushions and other fabrics that you think will not be used for a while or cannot be put in the open.

 

How Does It Help The User? 

Outdoor cushion storage can help the user store cushions and/or some furniture that may not come to use for a while. Just wash the cushions and once they are dried, wrap them in a clean fabric and store inside the outdoor cushion storage.

 

Is It Affordable? 

Outdoor cushion storage can cost you anywhere from about just over $60 all the way up to a cost of a couple of hundred dollars. You can build your own cushion storage for less than $100.

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

You can maximize the storage space effectively by pressing cushions on top of each other so they collectively take up less space and make room for an extra cushion or two. Just putting them on top of each other and letting them rest might take up a lot more space than you expect them to. You can also store the covers and the cushions separately to store more items in a lesser space.

 

 

Outdoor Storage Cabinet – Top Picks

 

 

What Does It Do? 

Outdoor storage cabinets are used to store any kind of items in them. just like outdoor cupboards, they have shelves and sections installed in the. However, these have the added factor of privacy because they often have doors.

 

How Does It Help The User?

It helps by providing you storage space to put away things that need to be out of sight at the moment. You can put things outside rather than allowing them to take up more space inside your house. If it has doors, it also allows you to hide your unattractive items in it without having to see them.

 

Is It Affordable?

Building an outdoor storage cabinet might be cheap, somewhere under $100 even. Buying an outdoor storage cabinet can cost you anywhere from $100 all the way up to $400-$500.

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

You can maximize space effectively in an outdoor storage cabinet by properly managing and arranging things that you put inside them. Making separate compartments for different kinds of things will allow you to organize your things and make them easier to find.

 

 

 

Outdoor Storage Containers – Top Picks

 

 

 

What Does It Do? 

These containers are best to store items that cannot be left outside exposed to the weather, such as fabrics, metal tools, and equipment.

 

How Does It Help The User?

It helps you by providing a separate, hidden space to keep your unattractive items out of the way.

 

 

Is It Affordable?

Depending on the material, size, and design, these containers can cost you from 100 to 200$.

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

You can get the most out of these containers by dividing the space into sections and categorizing each section according to what you want to store in them. This makes your storage space more organized and makes it easy for you to find your things.

 

 

Deck Box For Storage – Top Picks

 

 

What Does It Do? 

A storage deck box is an outdoor storage trunk that you can use to store clutter on your porch, deck, or patio. A deck box can also be used as a tabletop and could also serve as extra seating.

 

How Does It Help The User?

It can help the user by providing extra storage space for hardware materials or any other products that need to be stored until it is needed again. As a plus, it can also serve as a table to put things on top of, as well as be used as an extra place to sit like a bench.

 

Is It Affordable? 

Deck boxes for storage can be bought for at least $50-$60 and this price tag goes up as your increase the storage space you are buying for yourself. Better quality also means getting the price higher. You can build a pretty sturdy deck box at home by yourself for not more than $100.

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

Organize things in the deck box. Create sections and categories for all your items. This will help you maximize the space effectively.

 

 

Outdoor Storage Bin – Top Picks

 

 

What Does It Do? 

These storage bins are versatile and can be used to store anything that you can fit into it, like food items, toys, tools and supplies.

 

How Does It Help The User?

A storage bin helps the user organize small items that are a hassle to place or secure around the outdoor area, such as pets and children’s toys that do not have a proper place to be put.

 

Is It Affordable?

A storage bin can cost you from 20 to 100 dollars depending on the brand, size, and material you choose. There are plenty of good options in a low budget so these bins can be fairly affordable.

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

In order to get the most use out of your storage bin, allocate one bin to a certain kind of item. This way, you will be able to store items into one bin and also find a particular item easily.

 

 

Outdoor Toy Storage – Top Picks

 

What Does It Do? 

These storage containers are best to put away toys cluttered around the lawn and inside the house. 

 

How Does It Help The User?

Keeping the toys and games for kids and pets away can organize and clear up a lot of space in your lawn and inside the house.

 

Is It Affordable 

Toy storage can cost you from 30 to 100 dollars and more, according to your choice in brand, size, and material. 

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

Make sure you organize toys of similar sizes in a box and not overfill it with various sizes of toys. This will give you more space to store smaller items. You can use bigger bins or boxes to store bigger items.

 

 

 

Outdoor Garbage Can Storage – Top Picks

 

 

 

 

What Does It Do? 

Outdoor garbage can storage allows you to move your unattractive garbage bins out of the sight and out of your way.

 

How Does It Help The User?

Garbage cans can be rather unpleasant to look at and disturb the aesthetics of your outdoor setting. Also, changes in the weather can damage or knock over your garbage bins, distributing trash everywhere. To prevent this from happening, a trash bin storage shed is of huge help.

 

 

Is It Affordable?

Garbage can storage can be quite expensive, from 100 to 300 hundred dollars. However, smaller sheds may be available in low budgets if you look deep enough into the market. 

 

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

Stacking trash bins or aligning them side by side can help you get your trash cans arranged, organized, and easy to access.

 

 

 

Outdoor Tool Storage – Top Picks

 

 

 

What Does It Do?

It provides space to store hardware tools and products and things like your gardening tools.

 

How Does It Help The User?

It helps the user by providing extra space for tools and hardware materials that do not belong inside the house. Gardening tools, mowing machines, and other sharp tools may also be stored in an outdoor tool shed as they may not be safe to keep inside the house around children or other people in general.

 

Is It Affordable?

Making an outdoor tool shed may not be very price efficient when compared with the prices of tool sheds available in the market. Storage tool sheds start with a price tag of just under $200 and go up from there.

 

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

Separate counters, shelves, and compartments can be made inside the shed to keep things organized and in place. Hooks can also be drilled inside the walls to hang tools that have the option of being hanged on a wall.

 

 

Outdoor Storage Chest – Top Picks

 

 

What Does It Do? 

These storage chests can be used for anything from fabrics to toys to cushions. Just don’t stack up sharp items in it because they will be harder to take out and find.

 

 

How Does It Help The User?

These chests help you by serving as good table tops and also give you a huge capacity to store and put away things you don’t need at the moment and cannot expose to the weather, like picnic supplies and cushions.

 

 

Is It Affordable?

Storage chests can be bought for 100 to 200 dollars and even more, depending on the company and size you want. Second hand or used storage chests can be more affordable than new ones.

 

 

How To Maximize Space Effectively?

Creating sections inside the cabinet will not only organize your stuff but will also give you the opportunity to get the maximum usage out of the chest space.

 

 

Types of Outdoor Storage

 

 

DIY Outdoor Storage Bench

To create a DIY outdoor storage bench, all you need is a saw, some clamps, screws, hinges, wood, wood glue, and a drill machine. The first thing that you want to do is to plan out the size and shape of the bench that you want.

 

 

Cut up the wood accordingly and glue the pieces together. You can use screws and nails to securely fix them. If you want to add a lid to the bench you can use hinges to do so. Paint it the color that you want and your DIY storage bench will be ready. It will take about 3 to 4 days for you to complete this project.

 

 

DIY Storage Box 

If you cannot find a suitable storage box on the market for your particular needs, you can make one yourself. Simply take a couple of cardboard boxes, a suitable amount of fabric, white glue, scissors, and some brushes. Cut out the handles of the cardboard boxes and cover them with sheets of fabric using glue. It will take you about 20 to 30 minutes to create these DIY storage boxes.

 

 

DIY Outdoor Bike Storage

The simplest way to create bike storage is to choose an empty space and take measurements of the wall. Cut up the wood of appropriate length and width. Now attach these wood pieces to the wall according to the height of the bikes. Mount some bike hooks onto the wood and your DIY bike storage is ready. The whole process will take a day to complete.

 

 

DIY Storage Cabinet

Building a storage cabinet for yourself is not as hard as it seems. You will need a saw, wood, wood glue, screw, and hinges. Start by making the side panels and join them together by wooden supports of appropriate size from top and bottom. Now add as many shelves as you want. For additional privacy and security, you can even add doors to the cabinet using hinges. It will take about 2 to 3 days to complete this DIY cabinet.

 

 

DIY Outdoor Cushion Storage

You can create your own outdoor storage box for cushions by using some simple tools and following some easy steps. You will need wood, hinges, nails, a saw, and wood glue.

 

Start by cutting the front, back, lid, and sides of the storage box. Arrange them together one by one, using wood glue and nails. Now add hinges and attach the lid. Your DIY cushion storage box is ready. The whole box will take about 1 to 2 days to establish.

 

DIY Outdoor Toy Storage

Similar to making cushion storage boxes, you can make a toy storage box as well. Just keep the measurements smaller according to the number of items that you want to store in it. It will require the same tools but will take even lesser time.

 

Frequently Asked Questions About Outdoor Storage

 

1. How To Seal An Outdoor Storage?

You can make your outdoor storage more secure by carefully choosing the location that you want to install them in. Make sure that you have easy access to it and that it is surrounded by secure fences or walls. Choosing a good lock and replacing it every now and then can make your outdoor storage less likely to be misused. Fitting an alarm is an extra precaution to secure your outdoor storage even more.

 

 

2. How To Weatherproof Your Outdoor Storage Box?

There are various ways to protect your outdoor storage items from water, humidity, and extreme temperatures.

 

 

To protect your storage against water, make sure your shed has a raised floor, a waterproof roof, and treated wood that will not rust or change color in humidity and direct sunlight.

 

 

If you want to weatherproof your outdoor storage containers, make sure you pick a material that is water and temperature resistant. Metals tend to get more heated in warm environments and cheap plastic does not tolerate high temperatures either. Good quality plastic and treated wood would be the best choices.

 

 

3. How To Use An Outdoor Storage Bench?

Outdoor storage benches can be used to store tools, supplies, and extra things that need to be temporarily put away. They are multi-functional and can be used to not only store items but also as convenient places to sit and relax. You can add shelves, drawers, and small cabinets to these benches according to your space and requirements. You can cover them with sheets made of plastic or fabric to protect them from the weather.