Say Goodbye To The Eyesore Of Outdoor Trash Cans With A Sleek DIY Solution

Outdoor trash cans are an eyesore that can ruin your curb appeal. Very often, however, there's nowhere else to put them. Garages are often full, and you don't want smelly trash to stink up the garage when it's attached to your house. If this is the case for you, there are options to restore your curb appeal while still leaving your outdoor garbage cans accessible. With a little creativity, you can turn that eyesore into something beautiful.

Creating a vertical garden is an easy way to conceal your outdoor trash cans. This sleek DIY solution is one of several budget-friendly ways to hide outdoor garbage bins, but it also doubles as a stylish garden feature that can boost your home's curb appeal, attract pollinators, and mask unpleasant odors. There are a few ways to do this, many of which involve upcycling items you may already own. Trellises and shelf planters are excellent at hiding outdoor trash cans. Vertical gardens work well to cover small objects, but if you love the look, they can also be made into larger features. You can use a wide variety of plants for your vertical garden, so there are options for every homeowner's style and desired maintenance level. You can even take the opportunity to grow vegetables.

Vines climbing over a garden trellis make for a classic look. Simply stake a trellis in front of where you keep your trash cans and plant climbing vines of your choice. You can even put the plants in a pot at the base of the trellis if you don't want to plant them in the ground. A white garden trellis is a sleek backdrop to any plant. However, you can also get creative with your materials. A wire grid, for example, works just as well as a traditional trellis. Sweet peas (Lathyrus) and jasmine (Jasminum) are beautiful flowering options with a sweet aroma. You can also choose to hang planters from the trellis instead. If you don't want flowers, try Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), a fast-growing perennial vine that creates a stunning greenery display — just make sure it's not invasive in your area.

Perhaps the easiest way to conceal your outdoor trash cans is with a vertical plant stand. You can buy a tall plant stand or repurpose open shelving you already own and position it to block your trash cans. Add any plants you want to the shelves, but trailing plants are perfect for concealing your trash cans because the long growth blocks the view. String of hearts (Ceropegia woodii) and string of pearls (Curio rowleyanus) trail dramatically over their containers to make a pretty screen for your trash cans. Consider evergreen trailing and vining plants that are hardy in your zone for year-round coverage.