Outside toy storage.

[daytripper75]

Anyone have a good solution for outdoor toy storage? I'm thinking of all of the plastic things they play with outside. Buckets, balls, shovels, etc.
Ideally, I'd love something that would double as a seat for our patio. None of the outdoor toys we have are special and need to be protected, I'm just tired of having them scattered around the yard!
Any cheap, but beautiful ideas on how to corral all of the stuff for the yard?

[newbymom05]

I think this year I'm going to break down and buy one of those ugly giant plastic box benches. The other day my DH was quite cranky after picking up the yard for mowing and told me our yard depressed him, then started humming the Sanford and Son theme song, lol. I told him, relax--having littles=Sanford worthy yard.

ETA and those ugly boxes aren't cheap either IMO--about $90 at Target.

[CariOfOz]

LOL I'm feeling your sanford & son pain here daytripper! I continuously have balls, cricket bats, ring toss bits, tether tennis rackets AND scooters all over my yard.

At the moment I've got just a regular rubbermaid bin, with lid, by my sliding patio doors on the veranda. MOST of the kids junk will fit in there, IF I can prevail upon them to clean i up

[orangecanoe]

We wound up getting one of the plastic box/bench things. For cheap, I suppose you could get oversized planter buckets to stash toys in? I had thought about that, but like the covered bench storage because it keeps water from pooling in/on toys or them getting totally sun bleached.

We also have a Step 2 covered sand/water table and that's a huge help in keeping the small digging/scooping stuff corralled.

[luv-my-boys]

I ended up getting three large bucket containers (like 20 gal. size from target for under $10 each) they have rope handles on them and DH drilled holes on the bottom like crazy for those summer showers. We marked them "outdoor fun" and the toys are sorted depending on what they are trucks/cars, chalk/bubbles/wands, and gardening items. It has really helped keep things corraled and more organized instead of having a traile of toys thruough out the patio and yard.

[Vanessa]

We have one of those ugly plastic deck boxes. It's still more attractive than all of the mud covered toys sinking down into the backyard. They're not super cheap, but we're on year 4 with ours, and I think it has more life left in it, so I'm happy with it.

[Tjej]

Ours is terribly unattractive and old, but we have a covered children's sandbox (without sand) that we throw all the miscellaneous toys into. The bikes and scooters park in the garage.

I like the box because it is easy for the kids to access (and the toys aren't all on top of eachother because it is a big square so they can see the stuff, for the most part). They can also help clean up pretty easily too.

So personally, I recommend a sandbox!

Tjej

[happyhats]

I think the sandbox is a great idea. I have a small, tiny yard and I can't keep anything on the grass since I live in an apartment. So I've designated space for some outdoor toys in our storage off the porch. She has a cozy coupe-it's huge but she loves it and it's a hand me down my family has had forever, and a bubble machine. I'm also hoping to get her a fold away little tykes climber. It's pricey, and I'm still looking around for something used, but I like how it folds up and can be used indoors or out for plenty of years.

[karemore]

We've yet to work this out, I complain every year. Right now we have a big plastic storage container for much of the "stuff".

[daytripper75]

LOL at the Sanford and Son stuff! I fired up the theme on YouTube then danced around the living room until my dh asked me what I was doing. I then told him that we need a solution to our junk problem. He thought it was a hoot!
It looks like Target has some reasonably priced options, I might swing by there!

[annethcz]

We have a couple of large rubbermaid bins for balls, trucks, etc. Baseball gloves are stored in a milk crate, bats are stored in a little cubby along the garage wall, pool toys have their own box....

[catscharm74]

We let our 4 year old DS use his wagon to pick up all the toys in the yard once a week, especially during mowing season. He can pull it along and park it in the garage until Daddy is done. I sectioned off an area for him in the garage, with hooks on the wall, a small shelf and a nylon laundry bag for all things that bounce and roll. It motivates him to clean up and saves my sanity. : )