The first day of fall has officially passed, which means that summer is over and colder months lie ahead.  It also means that if you’re a homeowner in the Northwest, it’s time to start thinking about where you’re going to store away summer equipment and toys. Here are 10 creative ideas for storing toys in your new home or garage.

The easiest way to store your belongings is to add shelving in your garage. This way, everything has a place, and your toys (or your kids’ summer toys) are easy to spot. If you already have shelves on your walls and need additional storage space, consider building shelves in the ceiling corners to take advantage of those dead spaces.

If you don’t have the space to keep your summer toys in your home or garage, or you simply want to clear up some room inside, check with your local home improvement store to see if they sell outside storage sheds.

Protip: spend the extra time to ensure that the ground surface your storage shed sits on on is completely level and compact.

One of the best ways to store summer gear like bicycles is to hang it from the ceiling, or even to mount it on the wall. This is a fantastic storage method for large, bulky items that you don’t plan to use until the weather warms again, although it can be used for numerous other types of gear.

If you want to keep smaller toys out of sight and out of mind, opaque bins with lids are the best idea. You can stack these bins in your garage, basement, or even in a large closet within your home.

Labels aren’t only a great way to keep bins, buckets, shelves, and drawers organized, but they also look great in your storage area, too. The last thing you want is to be half-way through the summer and realize you forgot to pull out a certain summer toy because it’s been out of sight and out of mind!

If you have an attic, big or small, you can use it to store a variety of seasonal items including summer supplies such as an inflatable swimming pool. Typically, the biggest deterrent from using attic space is accessibility. Sometimes they can be cumbersome to access and get in and out of, but there are ways to improve accessibility such as installing a new attic ladder or replacing your old attic ladder with a new and improved one. If you don’t have an attic, some homes have under the stairs storage spaces. This is a great alternative for storing the items that you would normally put in an attic.

One ingenious idea for storing kiddie vehicles, including plastic “push” cars, tricycles, and even powered mini-vehicles, is to create an outdoor parking “garage.” You can easily do this using PVC pipe and inexpensive materials (like plywood) to serve as a garage frame and roof, and curtains that can be opened and closed to serve as garage doors. Your kids will love this so much they’ll want to put their toys away.

Don’t assume that all of your gear and toys have to be stored inside; there are many things that will be fine outdoors during the wintertime, especially if they are protected from excessive moisture. Consider setting up some outdoor storage bins paired with outdoor shelving.

If you have kids that are constantly leaving out their basketballs, soccer balls, bouncy balls, footballs, and more, you need to find a storage solution that works. The bungee cord ball storage idea is brilliant. To make this, simply create a 90-degree angle using 2x4s in a corner of your garage wall. About three feet under, create another 90-degree angle. Then, string bungee cords from one angle to the other, ultimately creating a bin.

Finally, if you need a quick solution for toy storage and you don’t want to spend a fortune, head to your local hardwood store and purchase an array of five-gallon buckets and basic baskets. You can make these more attractive by getting your kids involved in bucket and basket decoration. Throw some labels on them, and you’re good to go!

If you have recently purchased a new home in Idaho, Washington, or Oregon, you want to keep it looking great. The right storage solutions can help! If you’re still on the hunt for your dream home, Hayden Homes can help. We have brand new homes for sale in the Northwest, and our home builders are ready to get you moved into your dream home. Contact us today for more information, whether you’re buying your first home or upgrading to a bigger one.