11 IKEA Storage Solutions To Organize Your Backyard Shed

Since it was founded in the mid-20th century, IKEA has become a boon to homeowners. Its long and ever-evolving line-up of home furniture and accessories has something to help fit out every room, from the living room and kitchen, to the shed in the back of your garden. It's the latter that this guide is here to explore, and as those who are familiar with IKEA might expect, there are plenty of products to pique your interest.

In a bid to help you organize your shed on a budget, we're looking at IKEA's range of outdoor storage solutions. Some will make more sensible use of your shed's interior, capitalizing on its vertical space and providing a safe spot to keep dangerous chemicals away from the kids. Others will help to alleviate your shed's burden by providing weather-proof storage elsewhere in your yard. All are designed for outdoor durability, and even if you prefer to shop in person, having this guide available will help channel your focus and ensure you navigate your local IKEA without accidentally overspending. Of course, regardless of which products end up in your basket, you'll inevitably need to assemble them. But this is IKEA we're talking about — the assembly is part of the fun!

One of the easiest shed storage mistakes to fix is not using your building's vertical space. It's easy to forget to do. You start off with a lawn mower, string trimmer, and perhaps a rake, and as the years go by, your collection grows and the shed floor winds up littered with tools. It's even easier to become cluttered if your shed also serves as storage for DIY and decorating supplies. One way to get on top of things is to install some shelves, something of which there is little shortage over at IKEA. This KOLBJÖRN shelving unit with cabinet offers four tiers of storage, helping to free up floor space. The cabinet beneath can be used to house hazardous chemicals or dangerous tools, and since it has two metal loops that can be used to lock it, it can keep out curious kiddos.

You could just as easily use this storage idea elsewhere in your yard, like on an enclosed patio or deck. This is good to know if your shed is small and you need to reduce the amount of gear that's stored in it. "Much needed enclosed patio storage," said one buyer, who awarded the product 5 stars. And in the words of another, it's "Great for outdoors." They added that it's easy to assemble (which is reassuring), and that it's both lightweight and functional. "I used it for garden tools," they added.

The first thing we should mention is that IKEA's LÄCKÖ shelf unit is actually described by IKEA as "perfect for blooming flowers and your very own herb garden." In other words, it's a plant stand. However, we feel that the size of the unit — along with its 66-pounds-per-shelf load-bearing capacity — makes it ideal for shed storage. After all, it's designed to hold pots (along with the soil they're filled with), so it ought to be fine with your shed's heavier items.

You could use it as intended to contain your collection of spare plant pots when they're not in use. Alternatively, you could use it to house gardening and decorating supplies, like paint cans, grass seed, fertilizer, and that gas can for your lawnmower. Whatever you store on it, wall-fixing brackets on the back help prevent tipping, thus making your shed storage safer for you and your belongings. It has a powder coating to help it withstand humidity fluctuations in your shed without corrosion. And most users suggest that it's well made, sturdy, and able to withstand reasonable loads. "Used them to tidy my terracotta pots up," said one buyer. Another, who put it to work in their greenhouse, explained that it's "Very sturdy and looks great."

Ideal for making the most of your shed's corners, the LÄCKÖ outdoor shelving unit features a similar design to the previous product. However, it absorbs less floor space, relying on height instead of width to help clear your shed's floor of clutter. It has four shelves, each of which can withstand up to 52 pounds of weight, which ought to be ample for everything but your anvil. There are adjustable feet to help ensure it's level, even if your shed floor isn't. And for extra stability, it also has those same useful brackets on the back, allowing you to screw it into the wall to prevent it from tipping.

Diving into the reviews, plenty of buyers have found nice things to say about the shelves. One, for example, who said that it's just what they needed, explained that the "Shelving unit works perfectly in my garage to store gardening supplies." Another, who needed something stable in a house with three kids, explained, "This stand is sturdy — very solid. I feel safer with this plant stand — for both my kids and my plants." The only thing to bear in mind is that, according to some buyers, it's not the easiest IKEA product to assemble. That's far from a consensus, and there are some who said that it was actually quite straightforward. But it's at least worth bearing in mind if this is your first foray into the world of flatpack furniture.

Built from durable galvanized steel with a polyester powder coating, the KOLBJÖRN shelf unit is well suited to the rigors of life in the shed. In fact, it's made for outdoor use, like on the patio or deck, and if you need to alleviate your shed's current burden, then that could well be a good way to make use of it. Alternatively, inside the shed, it would be a useful means of maximizing your vertical space, offering six tiers for tools, pots, and other gardening supplies.

Each of those tiers can withstand up to 55 pounds, which, since there are six of them, should allow you to spread out your heaviest items without causing the shelves to sag. Not only that, but with a width of 31 inches and a depth of just under 14, it shouldn't take up too much floor space. It's built from two separate units which stack together, which one user said gives it a slightly "odd" appearance. Nevertheless, they described them as "great shelves," and said, "it more than does the job for my garden shed."

Depending on how cluttered your shed is, it may be easier to pull some items out and find another place to store them. As we've already seen, there are various outdoor storage boxes and shelves available at IKEA. And IKEA's HYLLIS shelf unit earns points in the reviews from users who've employed them both indoors and out. Some have made us of the set inside their greenhouse and garden shed, others found that it helped to organize their outside terrace. In all, the unit builds out to three shelving units, which, once arranged, provide a total of 10 shelves. You can also use them separately — ideal if you need to organize the interior of your shed while installing ancillary storage elsewhere.

They're described by IKEA as "approved for wet areas," which lends some reassurance to buyers who need to free up shed space by storing items outdoors. In fact, they're made from galvanized steel, which is highly resilient in the face of wet weather. And at $75.97, they're also surprisingly cost-effective for the amount of storage that they provide. As one 5-star reviewer put it, "Great value." As for looks, one user said, "They make my terrace look great!" They admitted that the assembly was a little tricky, but said that they were "totally worth the trouble."

For patios, decks, or style-savvy sheds where material austerity does little to enhance the look, a wooden storage box is a good way to keep things organized while blending into the environment. IKEA's NÄMMARÖ storage box is made from naturally weather-resistant acacia wood, which means that the unit itself ought to hold up well against the weather. The only thing to bear in mind is that, depending on where you use it, it won't exactly "seal" your items from the elements. It's made from acacia slats, which means that there are gaps through which the rain can easily pass.

Inside the shed, you could use it as a chest to store your furniture cushions. Alternatively, if you intend to use it outside, like on your patio or deck, you could use it to give your growing collection of unused pots a home. Users to-date seem to like the crate, including one who said, "This is a simple little crate, good for outdoor storage. We bought 2 and they're working nicely so far." The reviews also reveal some clever IKEA storage hacks to help keep your garden organized. "Best outdoor storage ever," said one buyer, who said that they also double as extra seats for guests. In their own words, "I bought two of these last year for our covered deck area. Found not only great storage but also were often used as seating. Bought 2 more to put outdoor cushions in."

Another IKEA storage solution to keep dangerous items away from children is IKEA's KOLBJÖRN weatherproof cabinet. Per the name, it can be used either in the shed or outside. It's designed for items like garden tools, and features sturdy shelves and strong hooks to organize your various gardening supplies. The weatherproof design lends confidence to users who need to use it outdoors to alleviate their shed's storage burden. And wherever you use it, loops on the doors allow you to lock them, ideal for keeping toxic chemicals and dangerous tools under lock and key.

The only potential downside is the price; it's currently listed for $349.99. Then again, it could be worth the investment if you need a long-term means of organizing your shed's more hazardous items. "Fantastic little storage locker," said one user, who explained that it's "Well worth it." Others praised the cabinet's build quality, especially for outdoor storage, including one who called it an "Outdoor winner." They explained that it's built well, and ideal for their outdoor space. "We have a small deck so this cabinet works perfectly for us. Looks good and keeps all the stuff we have lying around nicely hidden."

Offering a little more adjustability than the previous cabinet, the SUNDSÖ outdoor/indoor cabinet is similarly suited to use in the shed and garden. Behind the door are three shelves, two of which can be adjusted depending on what you need to store inside. Adjustable feet compensate for uneven shed or patio floors, and if you're limited on where you can place it, you can mount the door so that it opens to the left or right.

Just like the previous product, this IKEA storage solution offers a versatile alternative to your shed. In fact, it would be equally at home inside or out, with powder-coated, galvanized steel doors that are designed to withstand the weather. It stacks up well in the reviews, too, with one buyer describing it as "A great cupboard for my decking to hold bits and bobs." They said that it looks great (it's actually available in three colors), and added that it's also waterproof, "as proved yesterday in pouring rain." Another shopper, who bought four, said, "They look great on my balcony since I moved into a unit. Place a few plants on top, and store/hide everything else."

At 31-½-inches by 31-⅞ inches, the KOLBJÖRN indoor/outdoor cabinet provides generous storage space for your shed, patio, or deck. It's materially the same as the KOLBJÖRN shelving unit with cabinet, including a galvanized steel build that's well suited to life outdoors. The key difference is that it comes without the upper shelves, making it both cheaper (by $130) and easier to slot into smaller sheds. It would be equally at home storing plant pots as it would be containing your garden tools. Space between the cabinet's legs provides handy extra storage, and inside, it has two spacious shelves for whatever's causing your shed's clutter problem.

In the reviews, it receives praise for both its looks and, more importantly, its durability. As one user said, "After a year sitting on a patio totally exposed to the elements they have done very well, and the insides have stayed bone dry." Indeed, most buyers concur that it's worth the $169.99 price tag. "I bought this to put decorating materials, tools and other stuff that I can't fit in my house," said one, who added that it's very spacious and sturdy. Another user, who needed something to store their various barbecue paraphernalia, said, "This does exactly that. Easy to put together and looks nice."

Whereas most of the solutions featured up until now could be put to work in the shed or outdoors, the TOSTERÖ storage box is specifically designed to live outside. This makes it perfect for storing bulky items that would otherwise make items in your shed inaccessible. It's waterproof and is primarily designed to protect your outdoor furniture cushions from the elements. It's a simple design, with a lightweight frame and polyester fabric cover, which fastens in place to keep the weather off your furnishings. That fabric is also fade-resistant, meaning it should remain looking "good as new" for several seasons to come.

Reading the reviews, feedback is largely positive. "We recently purchased outdoor furniture from IKEA and I realized we needed somewhere to store the cushions," said one user. "While this wasn't the prettiest option, it isn't hard to look at either, and gets the job done!" They added that it keeps their cushions fully protected, and that the product is easy to assemble. With that being said, it's worth knowing that there are several who had a harder time putting the box together. One user, who said that they love it, nevertheless warned future buyers to be careful with assembly. While the fabric build makes it conveniently lightweight, they explained "it can rip easily if the inner poles get stuck on a seam." In other words, regardless of how excited you are to build your new storage box, it's well worth taking your time.

The VÄTTERSÖ storage box also features a lightweight fabric cover. It's completely waterproof, making it a good option for anything that won't fit inside your shed but needs to be kept dry. Unlike the previous box, this one features ventilation windows, which help to circulate air around your belongings. This helps to dry any dampness while working to prevent mold, which can build-up in damp, unventilated spaces.

The waterproof design means that you needn't worry about giving your storage shelter when the winter weather arrives. And according to users, this outdoor storage solution from IKEA is great for reducing garden clutter. "Love this product," said one, who explained that it comfortably fits their furniture and umbrella covers, along with their cushions. As for its waterproofing and breathability, one buyer said that it's like storing their outdoor cushions indoors. "No dampness, no moisture issues at all. I'm so impressed that I'm planning to buy another one for storing miscellaneous items."