The Outdoors in Order
Make your outdoor space just as organized and functional as the inside of your home.
These days, a home’s outdoor space is an extension of its interior, so it comes as no surprise that homeowners want their outdoors to be just as organized and functional as the inside of their homes.
From benches to sheds to deck boxes, we set out to find out what works best in getting things in perfect working order. From the most popular materials, to the most durable, to the most attractive, even to specific solutions for things like trash cans, entertaining gear and pool toys, we covered it all. So sit back, relax, and let us find the perfect organizational tool for your pool area, patio and beyond.
“Whether you buy a tool shed, a garden shed, a workshop or a garage, organizing the stuff inside will save you time, money and frustration. There’s nothing worse than frantically searching for tools in the middle of a project—and no one likes having to buy something they know they already have but can’t seem to remember where they put it,” says Joseph Kauffman, owner of The Barn Door, noting that organization can go a long way in making everyday life easier.
Also popular are two-story storage buildings that are transported to a site and built all in one day, he says.
“One of the newest trends for storage solutions are two-story buildings with hinged roofs that can be done on site in one day. Buildings are delivered with the hinges folded in and folded up on site to double the storage space,” he says. “Sizes range from 12 by 16 feet to 24 by 32 feet—they even come with a staircase with railings and the entire building is placed on a stone pad at the site,” he says.
Vinyl siding is the most durable—and attractive—building material, he notes.
Laura Bush, buyer and manager at Pelican Sport Center, points to deck boxes as a popular outdoor organizational tool. “Deck boxes are now available in all different sizes, colors and materials to organize everything from cushions to pool toys,” she says, noting they can also be used as benches for additional seating. “Now that they are available in dark brown resin wicker or wicker patterns they coordinate with high-end resin wicker seating.”
Many patio sets available at Pelican Sport Center come with a storage solution built-in, she explains, such as under-seat storage, or storage within an ottoman or coffee table.
“We sell a large amount of deep seating furniture that requires large seat cushions. Many of our customers have been adding a deck box to their outdoor seating area so that they can store the cushions outside when not being used,” she continues. “Outdoor cushions are not often waterproof and will take a long time to dry once wet. The deck boxes remove the need for homeowners to take several trips inside to store the cushions.”
Keeping cushions dry and clean year-round is also becoming a priority for many homeowners.
“Customers are now selecting water-resistant furniture covers to keep their furniture and cushions clean and dry year-round. In some cases homeowners have so many cushions that a deck box is no longer an option,” Bush says. “We carry furniture covers from Treasure Garden for every item of patio furniture we sell. We are one of the few retail stores to offer the covers at any point of the year. Most stores put the covers away once their selling season has ended.
“New this season from Treasure Garden is the modular cover collection. The modular covers can be zipped together to cover all sectional seating configurations.
This allows our customers to have only one cover to store when using the furniture and to easily re-cover the furniture after using.”
Other popular storage items are the Suncast Trash Hideaway for an outdoor trash can, the Suncast Wicker Storage Seat, for storing gardening tools or outdoor kid toys and the Suncast Wicker Cooler with Cabinet that boasts a 77-quart cooler that holds 72 beverage cans with a lower storage cabinet and wire storage basket, Bush says.
For storing pool supplies, the Intex Mesh Pool Caddy and resin pool noodle organizer is a popular choice.
As far as popular materials, resin is best, as it’s made to look like natural wicker, but is more durable, Bush says.
Others point to sheds as the most effective way to organize your outdoor space. “The most popular way to organize your outdoors is with an appropriate size shed for all of your garden tools, pool supplies, lawn equipment and kids toys,” says Jake Fisher, owner of B & L Woodworking. “I would highly recommend every homeowner to have a storage shed on the property, if allowed by your local township. Sheds are by far the most popular way to organize and it looks good in the yard.”
Pool houses and pavilions are also becoming popular add-ons to an existing deck or pool area, he says. When it comes to materials, vinyl siding is the most durable; however, many homeowners prefer the look of wood on a shed or other outdoor structure, Fisher says.
Ed Illes, manager at Country Tyme Sheds, also suggests sheds for those looking to get organized.
“It helps you get your stuff out of the garage, beside the house, under the deck or on the deck and [put away] out of the weather. Getting stuff out of the garage so a car can be parked inside is the No. 1 thing we hear,” he says. “People want to park their car in the garage.”
From deck boxes to pool caddies to the more expected sheds or pool houses, our experts point to many ways to get organized—and picking the storage solution that works for you is just the first step in transforming your outdoor space into an efficient and organized area, making it a place you truly enjoy.
RESOURCES
B & L Woodworking
Princeton, N.J.
(609) 924-4479
BLWoodwork.com
The Barn Door, LLC
Atco, N.J.
(856) 768-3535
AmishStructures.net
Country Tyme Sheds
Colmar, Pa.
(267) 477-1145
CountryTymeSheds.com
Pelican Sport Center
Morris Plains, N.J.
(973) 267-0964
PelicanShops.com
Published (and copyrighted) in House & Home, Volume 16, Issue 1 (July, 2015).
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Author: Editorial Staff--House & Home magazine
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