By
eHow Home & Garden Editor
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Step1
Design your patio with storage space in mind. Too often storage space is an afterthought when it becomes more difficult to add storage space. It's much easier to design a patio with storage space built in to your patio design.
Step2
Decide what you'll be storing in your patio storage space. Many of the things you use outdoors, you can store in your outdoor building, your garage or your basement. But there are some things like outdoor cooking equipment, swimming pool toys, sports equipment and gardening tools that would be handy to have stored in your patio storage space.
Step3
Design your patio storage space around what are using it for. With your storage needs in mind, determine how big your storage cabinets need to be to meet your needs. Also, leave room for shelves so you can have easy access to items you use a lot.
Step4
Determine whether you need a free-standing cabinet. A free-standing cabinet can also be a privacy screen for your patio. Benches you have can house cabinets underneath. If you have a low cabinet that's attached your house, you might want to use that to store some things as well.
Step5
Store some things below your patio, if there is a second level to your patio. Pipe, lumber and other large items can be stored under your patio.