Space-saving ideas for your outdoor areas

From super sheds to sensational storage, longer days offer room to roam. Kya deLongchamps steers us in the right direction

Tripping over haphazard piles of logs to fire your BBQ or fire pit? Clean up your act with a good, strong store for similarly sized logs. This model cleverly bundles the kindling at the centre, something you could replicate in a homemade model banged up out of offcuts; €540, limelace.co.uk. For other contemporary classics, from €330, see mysteel.ie.

Cabin fever

Outdoor studios are becoming increasingly popular, and as long as they are not too high, overwhelm your outdoor space, or are over the 25sq m exemption threshold, you generally do not require planning permission to introduce one. In the past, they could only be used as an adjunct to everyday activity for the house, not as a permanent residential solution.

Now, the Government’s planning laws regarding log cabins and other small modular solutions under 40 sq m for intergenerational living, are under discussion. Always ask your local authority for guidance before putting up a detached building in excess of 25sq m, as there may be stipulations on its location and type.

With the right detailing and a tiny stove, you could have a sylvan summer house to enjoy all year round. Picture: iStock

Moa offers quality turnkey studios in architectural styling with a choice of cladding, floors and triple glazing as standard. Other great detailing includes 150mm Rockwool within the structural frame and a 60mm dense rigid insulation board. This specification allows you to use your studio as a quiet room or a home studio.

Some site preparation is likely with any substantial building, so key that into your budget from the start; see moa.ie.

Moa offers quality turnkey studios in architectural styling with a choice of cladding, floors and triple glazing as standard. This model starts at €41,500 inclusive of VAT and includes all works with exception of painting and the connection of electricity to the studio; moa.ie.

Standard larch, log cabin types are highly affordable and cover a wide range of styles from fairy-tale forest lovelies to a more contemporary modular look. Timber-framed buildings rely on a superb footing lifting them off the ground, an excellent build to the split millimetre, and insulation to suit their construction type to both keep them warm and dull noise between rooms.

Look for guarantees, and budget for inevitable extras including site preparation, assembly, the cost of kitchens, bathrooms and services, and optional detailing to your cabin. One-bed budget homes are priced from €14,625 with steel roof, 100mm floor insulation (value of €730) and free premium-living-type windows and doors (value of €770); cabin assembly from €2120, loghouse.ie. Every shed is different, but if you’re treating it like a teenage wardrobe and just slinging everything in there, it’s underused. With the right detailing and a tiny stove, you could have a sylvan summer house or year-round escape. Even treated timber needs attention, but you should get at least 15-20 years out of a well-minded little shed.

Timber-framed buildings rely on a superb footing lifting them off the ground, an excellent build to the split millimetre, and insulation to suit their construction type. Picture: iStock

Super storage

Whether you are shelving stress or putting clutter in the closet, more meticulous organisation and curated storage solutions could transform the experience of your home year-round, indoors and out.

Weather-resistant storage trunks are not always on offer with furniture sets but they are so useful, doubling as tables and ingesting extra cushions and throws. Slide them under-cover for the winter, ideal for double duty in the laundry room or conservatory; GoodHome Hamilton steeple-grey plastic rattan-effect storage box, €333, B&Q, diy.ie.

Garden spaces, balconies, terraces, decks and transition areas leading to your great outdoors demand just the same attention to detail as conventional rooms. We know the centre of storage issues is often our own bad habits, and an inability to stay in the moment.

Woven from natural bamboo into a rounded shape, the laundry basket from Oliver Bonas is available in a sunshine yellow or an almost malachite green; €72, oliverbonas.com.

Amid the greenery and high visibility of the garden, random, overcrowding of stuff looks just as ugly as it does strewn around the kitchen. Clock those nerve-jangling problem spots from the garage to the barbecue area, where you spend even more than a minute finding or reaching for any everyday item. Being systematic can be a lifesaver, but when carrying out that shed edit, don’t just throw storage solutions spotted on Instagram directly at a crowded area. Declutter with honesty and mindfulness, formulating an ergonomic, logical plan to ease the real issue that suits your style. Otherwise? The new buy will simply slide into re-cluttering.

Growing under cover offers a microclimate to coax plants, flowers and herbs that would otherwise suffer in the cooler reaches of spring and the fierce heat of August. Brilliant for a balcony or tiny yard, this Asparen greenhouse provides the perfect protection for your sprouts, with its semi-transparent cover and enough room for both you and your tomatoes and flowers. It includes shelving and a simple zip-and-roll door; €85, ikea.com/ie.

In the spirit of under-consumption (a key trend in sustainable living for spring/summer 2025) repurpose what you already have, from versatile furnishings and lidded jam jars to woven baskets and forgotten weather-resistant plastic storage bins and shelving bought with worthy intentionality last summer. Do your research. Modular, structural wall-hugging pieces in narrow, tall profiles can often prove themselves in one single, budget buy.