How to organize a small yard » Decor Adventures

This post is sponsored by Rubbermaid®. All thoughts and opinions are my own. See my full website disclosure here and thank you for supporting my small business.

If you live in a location where summer is year-round or maybe just a few months like we do, an organized yard will make those hot days that much more enjoyable for relaxing, entertaining and playing.

We live in the city and our yard is small. I mean very small rather compared to what you know about the outdoors. Check out our makeover and more photos of the space here.

This is how we use our garage, a Rubbermaid® Outdoor Storage Shedstorage containers and multi-purpose furniture that can be moved to keep our space organized, clutter-free and useful.

Even if you have a bigger space or want ideas on how to make the best use of your outdoor spaces, this is how we manage all our small city backyard stuff.

Here are several tips on how to organize a small yard and have a fun and functional space.

Take inventory

One of the first tips to having a functional home is to know what you’re working with. Make a list of all the items you use out of the year.

Then check where you will store them. This can be inside, outside, in a garage, shed or other storage area. Now you will know which objects you can organize where and how.

For example, if you have space, furniture can be moved inside for the off-season (like in the basement) and smaller items can be stored in bins or on shelves. Look for instructions for your furniture if it can be disassembled or left outside (some assembled furniture should not be disassembled). Never leave the cushions outside, even if they are waterproof in winter or rain.

Get rid of any items you no longer use and clean as you go. Decongestion will also clear the space.

Get storage space

When we first moved into our house, the garage was the only place outside we used to store things, but other storage areas are essential to an organized space.

There are so many options when it comes to keeping outdoor items together, but small spaces require viable, durable storage sheds that you can move around as needed, but still hold a lot of items.

I love Rubbermaid items because they have such great features for our small space. We have used the storage bins and rolling waste bins in the past for projects.

We recently got one Rubbermaid® Outdoor Storage Shed and it’s perfect for keeping lots of items we used to have in the garage and for keeping all the kids toys. Now we have more space and less clutter overall.

This is it one of the sheds which you can order online at Walmart.com They come in different sizes so you can find one that fits your yard. There are many great features of this shed.

• It was easy to assemble, the instructions are very clear and minimal tools are required
• We can move it around the yard if needed and take it with us when we move
• It will keep out rain, wind and snow, which is important to us here in Upstate New York
• It is very large inside (this is the 5’x2′ shed)
• Locks for safe keeping

It is one of the most popular items available, check it out online at Walmart.com here. When you shop it online they show some great accessories that you can get inside the shed as well, which I plan on getting to hang some tools.

See Rubbermaid’s complete line of Sheds and Deck Boxes Walmart.com and use the Rubbermaid promo code19 to save 10% on select items for a limited time.

Store out of season items out of season

You usually move most things like furniture, pillows, grills, toys, and decor to your garage or maybe even your basement. But small yards and houses don’t necessarily allow you to do that. We literally have nowhere to put things!

We keep the outdoor chairs and some children’s toys under our table and cover it with a tarp. Depending on your furniture, you may not need to cover it, but it’s always nice to protect the furniture if needed.

The hangar it is a huge addition to our storage space and can be anchored down or to the walls as required. Now we don’t have to carry things to the attic to store them. It was no fun carrying all those chairs up there!

Get versatile furniture

Since your patio, deck, or porch may be too small, consider getting multipurpose furniture that can do double duty. Stackable or folding chairs are great, as are pieces that you can take apart and store like a two-part umbrella.

We got this wooden table several years ago and can move it from the patio to the back concrete area so we have more room for the kids to play.

The bench is great instead of all the chairs because it can also be moved and removed as needed.

Use Storage Bins and Accessories

Storage containers are key to organizing your space and will protect your things from getting lost or damaged by the elements.

We use lots of storage bins and the shed to keep all our stuff together. In the totes you can keep:

• Games
• Tools
• Exterior decoration
• Lights
• Gardening accessories
• Furniture cushions

This bag has the lights and lanterns that we use on the fence, table and stairs when we want to decorate a little for a party. We will also get another one for children’s toys.

The bags then fit nicely in the shed to keep visual clutter tucked away but easily accessible. We had many toys that had faded from being outside all summer and winter, now we can extend the life of the toys in the shed very.

These are the tips we use to keep our little yard organized, and I’d love to hear your ideas for keeping your outdoor spaces in shape. Leave a comment below!

See our storage shed here. Don’t forget you can get it online at Walmart and get some accessories for it. I’m going to get this rack to hang tools on!

Good organization!