Tired of constantly organizing your kid’s mess in the garden? We know how it feels. Children love leaving a mess behind, regardless of their age.
But you can always make it easier for them to organize everything before leaving. How? Easy, you build an enticing and smart outdoor toy storage so they’ll feel more willing to use it.
Coming up with your own ideas can be tricky, though. Especially if you have never built one of these, it feels like unknown terrain.
Luckily, we’re here to help you. With our DIY toy storage ideas below, you’ll have enough inspiration to get your children a perfect storage area right away. Check them up!
13 DIY Outdoor Toy Storage Ideas for Backyards
When looking for ideas, we found thousands. Yet, we decided to only bring attainable ones. Below, you’ll find those options that anyone can build or make without much money or help. Take a look to learn more about each:
1. Wickerwork Baskets
As a money-saving alternative, nothing will meet a low budget like wickerwork. And for storage, a few baskets or wicker boxes will get the job done.
Regardless of the type of toy, this storage is more than enough. Wicker baskets are super-light, so children can take them anywhere. And if you use weathered wickerwork, you can make them protective from the elements.
The main advantage is how they look. Baskets and boxes made of wicker tend to add a classy touch to the garden or patio. They match well with almost any kind of decoration. And last but not least, you can make them of any color or design to boost their appeal even more.
If you don’t want to do the wickerwork, you can always buy already-made wicker boxes or baskets. A bit of weathering and a few additional resilient modifications will make any wicker storage ready for the job.
2. Wooden Cabinet Shed
While wicker is practical and easy to bring around, a wooden cabinet shed works as a stationary alternative. And guess what? It’s way more durable and spacious.
It doesn’t have to be a large shed, though. Even as small as a dog house will suffice to work as toy storage, especially if your children don’t have many toys.
The critical part is the building process. It may take a bit of time (a few days at least) to build. If you make it super-modest, then a few hours of work should be enough. You’ll need the wood and some woodworking skills to make it happen. But once it’s ready, it will become a perfect storage area.
We recommend decorating the root and sides of the little cabinet to make it more appealing. And if you want to add a bit of versatility, install some drawers and hangers around for extra storage. Kids will love it.
3. Rolling Under-Table Storage
Nothing will beat a rolling drawer under a table for those who want to make a more concealed storage area. It is ready to work at any time, keeps toys safe, out of sight, and more importantly, it takes little to no space.
Building one of these can feel confusing if you haven’t worked with wood before. But with a bit of effort and planning, it will feel like a no-brainer. You’ll only need a box, some wheelies, and the suitable wood or metal that matches the table. Add the handle for easy rolling, and it’ll be ready.
What sets this one apart is that children love rolling things around. If done correctly, the drawer won’t work only as storage furniture but also as a toy cart. Thanks to the wheelies, they’ll have the chance to take all their toys around with little to no effort.
4. Wooden Basket for Balls
Every home with children has a bunch of balls. From soccer and basketballs to volleyball and football balls – you’ll have at least 3 of these. And in some cases, you can also add tennis, hockey, or even bowling balls. Where do you store so many balls safely and effectively?
The best way to do so is a wooden basket. Paired up with a gate and a fiber cover, a basket can keep the balls in one place, organized, and enclosed to keep them out of sight. You can also make it of steel, plastic, or even bungee cords if you don’t like wood.
Regardless, it is an excellent idea. If you have children who love playing with balls, this alternative will feel like a perfect addition to any garden or backyard. And considering it only takes a bit of effort, especially if you have decent woodworking skills, then it’s an idea you don’t want to dismiss.
5. Mailbox Style Storage Box
You can also call it a birdbox, an outdoor library, bookcase, or even a storage box on a post. Either way, it saves a lot of space and gives children a perfect place to safely store their toys.
With a small sliding lock, a glass door, and a sufficiently large space for their smallest toys, a mailbox-style storage box will never disappoint.
Let’s not forget that apart from being practical and versatile, it also looks fantastic. It adds an enticing touch to any garden or backyard. And of course, it is often attractive enough for children to never forget to store their toys.
In short, it gets the job done without taking much effort. We recommend building it with wood, but you can choose any material you prefer.
6. Plastic Mini-Chest for Outdoors
There’s no need to go super-crazy with a storage box. A mini-chest can be more than enough to give your kids a place to store their favorite toys. And if it is made of plastic or metal, it should be sufficiently sturdy to withstand any climate conditions.
The advantage of chests is that you don’t necessarily have to build one. You can find them pretty much anywhere, for cheap. As long as they’re made of a sturdy material that can withstand outdoor weather, you should have no problem.
7. Rolling Jabba Sand-crawler Box
Apart from smart, a Sandcrawler from Star Wars can also be immensely striking and appealing. It won’t work only as a storage object but also as a toy. And more importantly, it can make any patio or backyard super-interesting.
This is a convenient choice if you have children who love the saga. But it works pretty much for any child, as the extra decoration on the box or chest makes it impossible to dismiss (no child will have an excuse to not organize their toys).
The best of all? You don’t have to make it a Jabba Sandcrawler obligatorily. You can also make it a princess castle, a knight fortress, or just anything that your child likes. It should work like a charm either way.
8. Portable Baggage Storage Box
There’s no point in building complex storage when a simple suitcase can make it work. It may feel counterintuitive because suitcases are not precisely outdoorsy. Well, you would be surprised at how effective they are.
It could be leather, plastic, or even a metallic suitcase. They’re large enough to fit most of the toys your kid may have. And if you pick a suitcase with wheels, then you’re set to enjoy an even better storage piece.
To make it all even more interesting, your kid can decorate the baggage box however they prefer. So it wouldn’t only be practical and easy to make, but it could also be appealing and become a go-to storage place for any kid.
9. Under-Slide Playground Storage
If you have a decently large backyard or patio with a small playground, you can use a playground section as storage. This could be either a playhouse or the bottom part of a large structure. As long as it has a door and a ceiling, it will work as a storage option.
The advantage of playground storage is that you don’t have to make your children save their toys at home. They can easily go, play with the toys, and store them once again. All away from the house, so you can be pretty sure the disorder won’t be as bad.
While a bit laborious, it can also help put your creativity to the max. This is especially true if you already boast a bit of woodworking skill.
10. Wooden Toy Shed for Playground
What better storage for your kid’s backyard playing time than a large toy shed? You can make it just big enough for the kids to go in and out safely. And if you want to take it a step further, you can install hooks, racks, libraries, shelves, and everything for extra organization.
One huge benefit from toy sheds like this is the protection against the elements. With the right weathered roof, you can be sure no toys will be damaged even after the trickiest of rains.
And if all that wasn’t enough, wooden sheds like this don’t have to be expensive. A few hundred bucks at max and you can build the shed small or large enough for your children’s needs.
11. Metal Multi-Drawer and Cabinets
What better organization furniture than a set of cabinets and drawers? If made of metals, drawers can become the go-to storage for all your child’s toys.
Drawers and cabinets are the easiest-to-use type of storage furniture you can build. Any child will have little to no problem using them. And what’s more important, they will feel almost obliged to use them, especially if you make them enticing enough.
We recommend identifying drawers and cabinets with the type of toy. This will help your child organize everything more effectively and probably even learn how to write and spell the words. It’s double the advantage.
12. Classical Wooden Chest Storage
Even though outdoor environments can be problematic in some areas, that doesn’t mean a wooden chest shouldn’t make the cut.
If built correctly, you can make even antique wooden chests work as a storage place for all your children’s toys. And it can be lovely, as long as you choose the decoration alongside your kids.
Chests are an unmistakable way to store stuff. And for toys, they work almost perfectly because they can be sufficiently spacious and easy to access. Moreover, they are easy to use and can add a special touch of style to any outdoor area.
13. Fairytale Toy Storage Hut
Have you ever heard of toy sheds? Well, if you haven’t – we’re here to show you one. Decorated with a suitable theme, it can become the most beautiful part of any backyard or garden. And not only because it is impossible to ignore but because it helps to store kids’ toys safely and conveniently.
These toys storage huts or sheds can be more laborious than the typical storage box or chest, of course. But that doesn’t mean you will have to spend endless hours building one. With a bit of effort and money, you can make one of these in a day or two.
To make it cool, you can always paint it and decorate it using your children’s help. And that would make it both a cool hut to store toys and a gorgeous translation of a family at work.
Conclusion
As you can see, you don’t have to be an Einstein to come up with a sufficiently smart, practical, and still affordable outdoor toy storage idea.
With the various options above, you should be more than prepared to build your own almost right away. It won’t be necessarily easy, but it will probably take less time and effort than you expect.
Regardless, it’s time to put those hands to work. Even the best of ideas won’t build themselves.