How Do You Store Trash Cans Outside?

Last updated on July 1st, 2021

No matter whether they’re a vibrant yellow or traditional gunmetal gray, garbage cans are a surefire way to bring your home’s curb appeal down – so it’s no surprise that so many people want to learn how to store them away from view!

Besides bringing down the appearance of your home, trash cans and recycling bins can also bring about plenty of unwanted smells and other trash-related nasties, so it’s a good idea to store your trash cans in strategic and inconspicuous places. 

If you’re currently asking yourself the question of how to store your trash cans outside your house, there are a variety of ways that you can go about doing it. Let’s take a look at the following for inspiration:

• Place your trash cans behind your garden fence: If you have a garden fence surrounding your front yard, then a great place to store your trash cans is directly behind the fence. This will help to conceal the trash cans from view, while also ensuring that they are still easily accessible for the garbage pickup.
• Conceal your trash cans with plants: If you don’t have a garden fence but you do have plenty of plants and foliage in your front yard, then why not conceal your trash cans amidst all of your greenery? 
• Tuck your trash cans around the side of your home: If you’re not overly bothered about your trash cans being on display in your home, then one way that many people choose to store their trash cans is by simply locating them on the side of their home. By tucking them around the side of your house, the trash cans won’t be on display when looking at the front of your house – you could even choose to place a privacy screen or fence enclosure around your bins to conceal them even more.

Whichever way you choose to store your trash cans outside your home, it’s important to make sure that your garbage cans are accessible to bin workers when they come around your neighborhood for the weekly garbage disposal pickup. 

Should you keep garbage cans in garage?

If you’re currently on the fence about storing your garbage cans in your garage, then there are a few different factors that you should consider first. When deciding whether or not you should store your garbage cans in your garage consider the following benefits and drawbacks:

Benefits:

1. Convenience: One of the most popular reasons why people choose to store their garbage cans in their garage is because of the convenience that comes along with it. Instead of having to trek long distances to the backyard, homeowners can simply walk down to their garage without needing to go outside. 
2. No pests: Another benefit that comes along with storing garbage cans in a garage is a lack of pests. By keeping your garbage indoors, animals will be unable to rummage through it and make a mess by trying to get leftover food. 
3. They won’t be on display: Another common reason why people choose to keep their garbage cans inside their garage is to prevent lowering the appearance and curb appeal of their house.

Drawbacks:

1. Unwanted odors: There’s no denying the fact that garbage tends to bring about lots of unwanted odors. So, by choosing to keep your garbage cans in your garage, it means that you may find that your garage harbors these smells. However, there are plenty of ways that you can counteract the odors and help to neutralize the smell of your garage. For example, you could choose to use room freshener spray that will help to get rid of the smell, or by installing an air ventilation system that will be able to filter away any of the unwanted odors. 
2. May attract animals: Just like the way animals (such as raccoons) are attracted to garbage cans that are kept in the garden, you might find that pests frequently gather near your garage to try to break in and get to the thrown out food. Though pest break-ins can be common, there are a variety of ways that you can prevent this from happening. You should be sure to secure your garage (including vents) to prevent animals from breaking into your garage, while also being sure to regularly clean your bins and place them outside your home on garbage days to prevent any flies or other bugs from becoming a problem.
3. Takes up floor space: This might not be such a problem for those that do not use their garage for any reason. However, if you keep cars in your garage or like to do DIY activities in there (such as woodworking) then you may find that your garbage bins take up too much space.

Additionally, prior to going ahead and storing your garbage cans in your garage, you should also take the time to figure out whether or not you’re actually allowed to. In some neighborhoods, there are homeowner associations rules set in place that do not allow garbage cans to be kept in areas that are not in plain sight. 

If you do find that this is the case for you, then there are a variety of ways that you can work around this rule, so that you can still maintain the curb appeal of your home. The most popular alternative to storing garbage bins in a garage is to build a trash can enclosure that will allow you to keep your garbage bins in your front yard, while also concealing them from view. 

Additionally, if you have your heart set on keeping your garbage cans in your garage, then one way you could comply with the rules of your neighborhood is to simply use your garage as “storage” for your trash cans, and making sure to regularly transfer them to the front of your house whenever it is garbage pickup day.

Prior to doing this, we recommend that you double-check and get permission from your local home association.