Nowadays, there’s a lot to take into consideration when it comes to effective trash can storage. While they serve an essential purpose, they can be quite unsightly and ruin the overall aesthetic of your outdoor space, so ideally they are kept out of sight of the road, your neighbors, and also from inside your home. It’s worth ensuring the storage area is far away enough from frequently used areas of the yard, easily accessible, and downwind to prevent any potential odors lingering. There are lots of tips and tricks to conceal them, some take a little time, but once your trash is disguised as something attractive, it’ll be totally worth it.
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1. A bin store with a living roof
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Garbage can stores seem to be proving a popular option these days. Karina Toner, Operations Manager at Spekless Cleaning recommends building a customized wooden box with a hinged lid, ‘You can neatly tuck away your trash cans and even add wheels for mobility.'
This will ensure everything you need fits under one roof. It’s also the perfect opportunity to add even more greenery to the yard by introducing a living roof for even more of a disguise, and this can also be used as a wildlife gardening trick to add insect-friendly planting.
2. Plant trees/hedges to create a natural wall camouflage
This option, of course takes a little time to see the full effect but it’s a favorable outcome as it’ll bring so much more life to your yard. It's a simple yet effective way to hide outdoor eyesores.
‘Incorporating them into your landscaping means you can create a designated area for your trash cans with plants or shrubs surrounding it, effectively blending them into the natural elements of your yard.’ suggests Ana Coddington, Lead Interior Designer at Archival Designs. The open top will allow any odors to escape, and the plants, shrubs or trees surrounding will add a fuller feel of warmth to the outdoor space.
3. Garden shed
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A garden shed is a great hiding place as long as you can be sure of a few things.
Ben Soreff, Professional Organizer at House to Home Organizing says: ‘If you keep them outside and have the ability and budget to invest in a custom-built shed, that is probably the way to go.’
This route offers the flexibility of the design aesthetic to allow your shed to sit seamlessly amongst your style of house and the rest of your yard, ’However, you’ll want to make sure the bins are easy to access and fill, we don't want to hide them at the expense of ease of use. Additionally, you’ll want to make sure the roof is high enough to allow the lid to open fully.’
4. Store in the garage
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A quick and easy fix if possible is to store your trash cans in the garage - out of sight, out of mind.
‘We recommend keeping trash cans or toter bins in the garage so you can fill them easily,' says Ben. 'Make sure you have the largest can with wheels the pickup company will allow, and go for the largest recycling bin, as most families generate more recycling than trash.’
Even if this means a bit of garage organization first, it may be a better use of space.
Alternatively, this viral DIY sees a small gate installed next to the garage, so that you can access them without having to open the garage door. A clever way to hide garbage cans in the yard while keeping them exactly where they're needed.
6. Decorative screen/panel
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Screening off an area dedicated to your trash cans with decorative screens or fences is another popular and effective way to hide trash cans. ‘These can be placed strategically around your trash cans to create a barrier and keep them out of sight and you can choose from a variety of materials such as wood, metal, or even bamboo, depending on your personal preference and the style of your yard,’ recommends Ana Coddington. You could also utilize climbing plants and trellis to create natural barriers, Karina suggests.
There are all kinds of outdoor privacy screens you could choose from, but these Enclo Screens kits from Amazon are perfectly suited for hiding garbage cans.
With so many options to consider, it’s imperative to reflect upon what works best in your particular home environment. The solution to hiding trash cans doesn’t need to be boring, embrace what you’ve already got and have fun designing that new element in your space.
