We’re all told not to judge a book by its cover, but let’s be honest for a minute: when a house is surrounded by tons of clutter and the lawn is unkempt, it’s hard to imagine that the inside of the house is any better. Certainly, no one wants to have their own house looking like a mess from the outside — but when you’ve got a busy life and you’re always on the run, it’s easy to forget about keeping your yard looking friendly.
Here are just a few quick ideas for “cleaning” tips that don’t require much cleaning at all — although no one else will have to know any better:
- All-purpose storage benches As a kid, you probably had one of those flimsy plastic chairs or benches where the seat lifted up and you stored all your toys, and the concept behind “adult” benches isn’t much different (except for the cheap and flimsy part). These benches are great because they don’t actually look like storage structures at all, and they’re made to withstand outdoor weather.
- Seasonal storage boxes The concept behind seasonal storage boxes is almost offensively simple: you organize all your decorations and maintenance tools according to the season in which you’ll use them. But there are two caveats here: first, you’ll have to do some serious organizing; second, you’ll have to find a place to keep the off-season boxes. But not to worry, because…
- Pool houses, wooden storage sheds and garages These bigger structures are perfect for storing all the straggling tools and decoration remnants that have no home. There are tons of options available with these: if you aren’t in the mood to make too many decisions, lots of outdoor home supply stores sell pre-made structures of all sizes. Or, if you happen to have a particular style and size in mind, there are just as many furniture stores that make custom sheds as requested.
It’s true — you’ll definitely have to devote some time to cleaning, organizing, and packing. Even if you find the perfect custom sheds that are just big enough to hold everything as you throw it in, you know this is only going to haunt you in a few months. So now it’s your turn — are these suggestions any good? Or can you suggest something even better? See more.
