Outdoor Toy Storage and Kids Bike Storage

[aceswild]

Hello,

Looking for ideas on how to store all of my kids stuff (toys, bikes, scooters, etc) outside this spring. I'm planning on buying another yardstash for around $100 and wanted to see if anyone has other ideas in this price range. Needs to be small and inexpensive

Thanks!

[crunchy_mommy]

I'd go with a plastic shed (or permanent one, if you can afford it!!) That yardstash thing looks like it would blow right over... IDK where you live though, here that wouldn't even be an option due to wind, snow, etc. Maybe it would work if you have only mild weather.

We have 2 permanent sheds (came with the house) for big or infrequently used items and DS keeps his smaller toys in a Little Tykes plastic playhouse we found on the side of the road.

[LaughingHyena]

We keep bikes, scooters etc in the garage. There isn't really space in the garden for the kids to ride them there so it's not been a problem getting them out.

The little tykes car and rocker stay out in the garden uncovered.

For smaller stuff, balls skipping ropes and so on that we use inthe garden I've been looking at the plastic storage benches. I'm hoping the kids will be able to get stuff easily and I will have somewhere to sit with a cup of tea by the climbing frame.

The yardstash tent thing does not look like it would last long here. I can't imagine the kids managing to lift stuff over the lip of the groundsheet (they always trip over the one in our tent) and would probably rip it. They are also not great a zips (again they often get our tent ones stuck)

[crunchy_mommy]

Originally Posted by LaughingHyena 

For smaller stuff, balls skipping ropes and so on that we use inthe garden I've been looking at the plastic storage benches. I'm hoping the kids will be able to get stuff easily and I will have somewhere to sit with a cup of tea by the climbing frame.

I meant to mention something about this too... some of the plastic storage benches are not water-tight so you end up with a puddle in the bottom & soaked toys... just something to look out for when you are buying one!!

[jillyofthevalley]

I'm looking for ideas for outdoor toy storage as well.  We did have plastic bins with lids but the lids were always left off and then the bins would fill with rain.  They also didn't do well in the cold weather (cracked) so we ended up throwing them away.  Right now the toys are in a couple of old laundry baskets stashed under the playground structure to keep relatively dry.  The shed is not an option, it's full of garden stuff.

[aceswild]

Thanks for all of the thoughts. We unfortunately don't have enough space for a shed so stuck with smaller options. We live in southern California so the weather is less of an issue and yardstash has held up well during heavy rains and has worked well for putting all of our stuff inside when kids are done playing or we have visitors and need to tidy up. It's up against a fence and protected from wind so won't blow down. Anyways, I think I'll look at a storage bench for overflow kids stuff and another yardstash in the side yard for tools, cushions, etc. My main concern with the storage benches is pinched fingers and poor quality but I guess you've just got to assume that it will last one year or so.

[LaughingHyena]

I meant to mention something about this too... some of the plastic storage benches are not water-tight so you end up with a puddle in the bottom & soaked toys... just something to look out for when you are buying one!!

Eek, I never thought about them not being water tight. Though the ones we looked at were supposed to be to used to hold the cusions from patio chairs, so I would home they were water tight. Still I will make sure we take a close look if we do decide to get one, thanks.

My big problem is how long they will hold up for, we finally got to see one in person the other day and it didn't feel very solid.