Skip The Toolbox: This Incognito Storage Solution Is Low-Effort, High-Convenience

If you do a lot of gardening, you'll know you need plenty of small hand tools. For example, you'll need pruning shears, hand trowels, helpful weeding tools, twine and clips for tying up plants, and scissors or snips for cutting. To keep all of these within easy reach, you may have to cart a toolbox around every time you head out into the garden. If you find this a little cumbersome, there's a clever incognito storage solution that takes little effort to install but offers the utmost convenience: an extra mailbox.

Think about it. A mailbox is a fully enclosed, weatherproof receptacle that takes very little time and effort erect, whether you mount it on a post or attach it to fence railings. Having this handy tool storage unit in or next to your garden beds also means you'll be less likely to put your hand tools down and forget where you left them. It's like having a mini shed at your fingertips whenever you're working in the yard, and because it's a mailbox, no one will know it's actually storing your tools. Storing your tools in the waterproof mailbox also keeps them out of the elements if you've forgotten to put them away in the shed or garage. All you need is a galvanized steel mailbox you can buy online or at your local hardware store, plus something to mount it on.

To use this clever tip for organizing your gardening tools and make sure they're exactly where you need them, mount or set up your mailbox storage right where you'll be using your implements. This could be beside your raised garden beds or on a tree near your veggie patch. If you have a large yard, you may even want to set up a couple of these tool storage containers to make things even more convenient. The boxes are relatively inexpensive — you can pick up a basic one at Ace Hardware for under $40. You could even use this idea to give your old mailbox a new life or pick up a second-hand one from your local thrift store.

Mounting your mailbox can be as easy as getting a sturdy timber post, setting it into the ground, and then attaching it to the top with screws. Or you could use a steel post if you have a spare one in your garage. Depending on the type of mailbox you've selected, if it has a flat back, you could even attach it to the side of a raised garden bed or a fence that borders your garden. For the simplest setup, choose a location that's easy to reach and won't interfere with mowing or other yard work. Once it's in place, stock it with the hand tools you use most often.