Anatomy of Outdoor Storage

Say “see ya” to clutter! These clever organizing tricks are guaranteed to keep your backyard looking welcoming and tidy.

Closed Storage

A cabinet made from metal or treated wood is an excellent place to store outdoor entertaining pieces, like melamine plates and platters, linens, and cutlery. The top of the cabinet doubles as a prep and gardening station, with space to batch cocktails, cut veggies, or repot plants. We got this cabinet at a thrift store and gave it a fresh coat of paint, which is an easy and affordable DIY to try.

Shelve It

Adding a slatted wood panel with shelving gives you ample opportunity to display potted plants, a pretty watering can, or a mister. Decant birdseed into a glass container so you don’t have to hide it away, and add citronella tea lights and smaller lanterns to the shelves for evening gatherings.

Hang Time

One thing to remember, especially if your backyard or patio is small, is to utilize your vertical space as much as you can. Your slatted wall panel comes in handy for that—just add hooks to hang gardening or grilling tools for quick and easy access. If your cabinet is metal, add magnetic hanging strips for the sides, like we did here. Have a bulky hose reel taking up valuable real estate? Swap it for a wall-mounted holder to free up your floor.

Hide Away

Instead of lugging your outdoor pillows inside every time it rains, consider investing in a weatherproof chest or side table that has hidden storage. It’s also a great place to store linens you only use outside, as well as other bulky pieces once winter comes, to save them from months of snow, wind, and ice. Just remember to give pillow covers a wash once you take them out in the spring to keep the fabric looking fresh!

Tidy Up

To keep your space looking orderly when guests come over, stash kid and pet toys in baskets made to withstand the elements. Storing them outside means your dog or child can have easy access to them later when they want to play.

Smart Solutions

This Kolbjörn ($248) shelving unit is a winning combo of closed and open storage.

Throw balls and dolls in this Sunbrella Basket (starting at $95) when they’re not being played with.

Petite but sturdy, the Portside Garden Storage ($275) is a perfect solution for small outdoor spaces.

Use this Hose Holder ($69) to add color to your garden while keeping it neat.

Enlist this Äpplarö Wall Panel ($59) to organize your tools and gardening essentials.

This Rolling Patio Cooler ($257) functions as a cooler during summer BBQs, with room for storing outside drinkware when not in use.

By Hannah Baker | Photographs by Kelsey Hansen | All product images courtesy of the brands

This article originally appeared in the Summer 2022 issue of Drew + Jonathan Reveal, Drew & Jonathan’s home and lifestyle magazine.