Store your odds and ends with a garden bench

Most houses have ample storage space inside. Everything from closets and cabinets to attics and garages is there to organize your life. But when it comes to outdoor storage, the same kind of resources aren’t available. Certain types of garden benches come with built-in storage compartments so gardeners and backyard artists can keep their tools out of sight but within easy reach.

Of the many options for a storage garden bench, the material of construction is exactly the same as other types of outdoor benches. The seats can be made of wood, wicker, resin and more. Obviously, heavier materials like stone and concrete won’t work as well to house some kind of interior compartment, but even with these you can have, for example, a lower shelf under the bench seat.

Many of the storage benches designed specifically for this purpose and for outdoor use are made from extremely strong plastics and rubber, such as those from the Rubbermaid brand. These materials will keep your assets more protected than anything else from moisture, bugs, mold and more. However, rubber is something of an eyesore. A classic choice for outdoor furniture, wood also works well outside and is quite adaptable to the elements. For example, cedar and pine, if kept in regular oil, are quite hardy. However, the best wood money can buy would have to be teak. The so-called “king of hardwoods” produces natural oils that protect against rot, insects and more, making teak furniture almost maintenance-free.

If you choose to go with a wooden garden bench, the design options are almost endless. Some banks have low backs, others have no backs. Many benches have armrests, many don’t. Still others, especially indoor benches, have soft cushions for added comfort. From a functional standpoint, the top of the bench doesn’t matter at all. It’s what’s underneath where the similarities lie. To be classified as a storage bench, a seat must have just that; some kind of space for storage. And there’s practically no other place to put things except under the bench seat.

Depending on the model of garden bench you buy, the storage compartments vary in how they look and function. On one side, there is the hinged bench. These benches open like a piano bench, from the top or from the front like a set of cabinets, operating on a hinge and revealing recessed space inside. These benches work best indoors unless you are sure their hinges are made of rust-resistant hardware. These types of benches are more spacious because it is one large space that covers the entire area under the seat to the floor, rather than separate compartments.

There are also drawers, trays, and baskets that pull or slide out. Some models of garden benches have sliding drawers that slide on a rail, like the drawers in a dresser. The types of storage compartments that are not attached to the bench usually rest on a lower shelf below the seat. These compartments can be pretty woven baskets or sturdier wooden bins, the latter of which matches the bench itself. The convenience of bins that rest on a shelf below the bench, rather than a slider mechanism, is that they can be pulled out and moved more easily than attached drawers. Also, when separated from the bench, the wooden baskets and containers can look nice on their own. If you prefer to have a bench indoors, the best places to keep one are the entryway, bedroom, and breakfast nook, or wherever you need a little extra storage.