How to Make a Pool Toy Holder
Fun in the sun often leads to a yard full of pool toys baking in the heat and creating an eyesore. Garage trunks or shed toy bins don't work well because wet toys drip water and cause rust or mildew from the puddles left behind. Making a pool toy holder is easy and requires inexpensive items that years from now can be reused in the household. By using two plastic laundry baskets, your pool toys will be neatly stored, easily visible for quick grabs and able to drain without causing mold and stagnant water.
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Things You'll Need
- Two plastic laundry baskets, 20 inches long by 15 inches wide by 9 inches tall
- 18 gauge or higher plastic or nylon coated wire, three feet long
- Wire cutters
- Self-adhesive Velcro strip, 10 inches long
Instructions
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1
Stack the two plastic laundry baskets on top of each other, opening to opening, so that it looks like a "puppet mouth".
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2
Using the wire clippers, cut three 10-inch-long pieces of wire.
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3
Choose the side that will be the back of the toy holder, since the front will have to open.
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4
Wrap one piece of wire through the laundry basket holes and around the left back-corner edges of both laundry baskets, joining them together. Continue wrapping and twist to secure wire.
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5
Wrap one piece of wire through the laundry basket holes and around the right back-corner edges of both laundry baskets, joining them together. Continue wrapping and twist to secure wire.
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6
Wrap one piece of wire through the laundry basket holes and around the back center edges of both laundry baskets, joining them together. Continue wrapping and twist to secure wire. The back of the toy holder should now have three wire "hinges", allowing you to open and close the baskets like a hinged lid.
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7
Slip one of the velcro sides (the soft side or the prickly side) of the 10-inch-long piece of self-adhesive Velcro with the adhesive backing through the holes of the center front of the top basket along the basket edge. Peel off the adhesive backing and press the sticky sides together to form a loop.
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8
Slip the other side of the Velcro through the holes of the center front of the bottom basket along the basket edge. Peel off the adhesive backing and press the sticky sides together to form a loop.
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9
Connect Velcro together. To open, pull hard to separate the Velcro, open the lid upward, remove toy and drop lid. Toys and water will drain from the holes in the plastic basket and air will circulate to dry the toys.
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Tips & Warnings
You can wrap the wire in electrician's tape for extra waterproofing or to avoid snags from potential loose wire.
Pool toy holder should not be placed in the pool. It will sink or cause a pool hazard.
