Outdoor Toy Storage: A Look at 5 Solutions
An outdoor toy storage box is the best way to keep pet and child toys easily accessible without exposing toys to the elements. Here are the five outdoor toy storage ideas for modern households, from the simplest to best.
5. Resin Outdoor Toy Storage Cabinet
Resin storage cabinets are made mainly of polypropylene, a durable and reliable material for outdoor environments. Resin doesn’t do well in harsh, direct sunlight, but it does last a long time in shaded or covered areas.
Resin cabinets come in various sizes and styles, so it’s easy to find something that meets your needs. This material isn’t insulating, so it won’t completely protect against harsh winter weather. However, it has excellent resistance to chemicals in the air, impacts, and other potential issues.
The best designs for outdoor toy storage are two-door cabinets with a single long shelf in the middle. The bottom rests directly on the ground and can hold heavier items. The top is short enough for children to reach and a perfect spot for lighter items.
Higher-quality cabinets also have space for a lock so you can secure the items inside. Polypropylene isn’t nearly as secure as metal, but this is enough to deter opportunistic thefts and other problems.
Good
Available in many sizes
Keeps animals out
Easy to convert later
Bad
Not good in areas with tons of sunlight
Upper shelves tend to have a low weight limit
4. Outdoor Toy Storage Seat
An outdoor storage seat is a large, two-person seating area with a storage bin beneath the seat itself. These are usually made of wood or resin, though you may see some with metal frames.
Wood is better for warmer environments as long as you treat it with weather-resistant coatings. If you’re in an area with lots of rain, the resin will hold up longer.
Outdoor storage seats have several advantages that set them apart from other toy storage options. You can place them almost anywhere in your yard, and it looks good, rather than an unsightly box that throws off the look of your yard.
These storage options are also quite large, with better models having around 70 gallons of storage space. These are nice for smaller toys you want to pile up, though they won’t hold most wheeled toys.
Outdoor seats are also useful as seating, making them more multipurpose than other options. When buying these, make sure they open so the rainwater falls off the back rather than falling into the compartment.
One downside to storage seats is they require people to be a certain size to open. This makes them a poorer choice for young kids who may want to retrieve toys.
Good
Useful for both parents and kids
Easy to work into yard decor
Extremely durable
Bad
Hard to fit into some sloped areas
Not suitable for younger kids
3. Roofed Outdoor Storage Platform for Toys
Roofed storage platforms are a good choice when you want the storage area open and accessible. These typically have a raised platform of resin, wood, or metal and a sloped roof at varying heights.
These toy storage options keep the rain off of toys and mitigate the impact of the wind. We like the metal-framed ones because they hold more weight. These are especially good if you need to hold a lot of wheeled toys because even small children can push toys on and off of the platform.
It’s also easy to separate a roofed platform into sections so you can use it for other things. For example, kids can put their toys on one side while you put lawn mowers and yard equipment on the other side.
Roofed platforms are a little more expensive than some other storage options because they tend to use better materials. However, most of them also last longer than other options, so this is a good choice if open storage works in your area.
Good
More durable than most other options
Highly accessible for kids of all ages
Bad
No security
May not keep things dry if rain comes from an unusual direction
2. Playhouses for Outdoor Toy Storage
Playhouses are another multipurpose storage option. These come in numerous sizes, although they usually have one large inner room. Playhouses are ideal for children as long as they can get in, although they may have trouble getting larger toys inside.
Playhouses can hold a lot of toys without affecting their usability. Most kids don’t mind if the inside is a little messy, and you can customize the interior by adding shelves.
Playhouses are an upscale solution despite the relative lack of organization. If you want to get especially fancy, you can look for a complete playset.
One thing to keep in mind is some playhouses have open bottoms rather than resin or another kid-friendly substance. Direct contact with dirt and grass is bad for long-term storage, so you may need to add a floor.
Alternatively, you can have a full playhouse custom-built for your child. Custom houses can come in any size and include additional storage options like drawers or cabinets.
The downside to playhouses is that it’s hard to convert them to other purposes, and kids may outgrow them. At that point, you may want to get rid of them, which means you’ll also have to get rid of the toys or find an alternate storage option.
Good
Extremely popular with kids
Available in different sizes and styles
Allows for messier storage
Bad
Hard to convert when a kid grows up
May require tweaking the floor
1. Private Shed for Outdoor Toy Storage
Private outdoor sheds are the largest option for storing toys outdoors. Sheds are suitable for all environments and offer total protection for their contents, with enough space to push, place, and hang any number of toys.
Sheds are especially good for older kids who have more delicate or expensive toys that need protection. It’s usually fine to leave simple plastic balls and hoops outside, but if you’re buying anything with motors or multiple parts, it’s hard to beat a shed for sheer quality.
The downside to a shed is that it’s harder for small children to use. You can install small doors or pet doors if necessary, but this also means wild animals can get in.
Good
Largest and most durable storage option
A great choice for older kids
Useful for storing other things
Bad
Not as good for pets or small kids
Much more expensive than the other options