You had such good intentions when buying all those pool and outdoor toys… but how did they all end up scattered across your yard, patio and pool? If you’re experiencing toy overload, try out one of these storage solutions for your own pool and patio.

Wall hooks

One of the simplest things you can do to keep all your floats, noodles and pool toys together is installing a few hooks or racks on your exterior wall. From here you should be able to hang goggles and tubes and shelf up noodles and other toys… all while saving valuable patio space!

Laundry basket

Pull an extra laundry basket from your hall closet for this storage solution. While it may not be an obvious first choice, your laundry basket is an effective (and inexpensive) way to store even the biggest pool toys, floats and noodles. Keep the basket outdoors or in a nearby location like the garage, shed or mud room.

If you need extra storage space, you don’t need to stick to your home’s current laundry bins. Look for an industrial laundry cart that can fit extra large floats, rafts and toys—and it comes with the added benefit of being able to wheel it around, so it’s perfect for easy access and cleanup.

Shower caddy organizer

If you have a growing collection of small pool toys—rubber duckies, swimming fish, or even goggles—the best place to keep them all together may be an used shower caddy or plastic basket (that you probably already have lying around!). These plastic containers are perfect for those tiny toys that just seem to get lose among the bigger floats in the toy box. You can store your caddy indoors or in an outdoor cabinet or shed for easy access.

Float holder

If you have more than three or four inner tube floats, you already know how tricky it can be to find a way to store them. You can either leave them in the pool or often risk them blowing around in the wind! To keep these donut shaped floats together, wrap an old tow rope around a pillar, post or other structure, then add your floats to the rope and secure the other end with its clasp. This will keep all of your floats together… and if winds do pick up, you can be sure that your floats won’t go flying off!

Pallet organizer

The old pallet you have in your garage may be of some use! Mount it to an exterior wall to serve as a makeshift, multipurpose pool toy organizer. You can store your pool skimmer, noodles, water guns, goggles and more. If you want to get really creative, paint or refinish the pallet to match the look of your home and pool setting.

Shelf and bucket system

If you’ve got just about every type of pool and backyard toy, you might benefit from a categorical organization system. Use an outdoor shelving unit to hold buckets, baskets or other containers labeled by what they contain—one for goggles, for example, one for water guns, and so on.