Garden and outdoor storage: what to do with furniture, BBQs and bikes before winter

There’s a point every year when the garden quietly starts to change.

The evenings draw in. The BBQ hasn’t been touched in weeks. The patio cushions are still outside, getting slightly damper every time it rains. The bikes are leaning against the fence. The parasol is still up, bravely pretending summer might make a comeback.

And everyone says the same thing.

“We’ll sort it at the weekend.”

The problem is that outdoor jobs are very easy to put off because they don’t feel urgent. Not yet, anyway. Then the first proper storm arrives, the rattan ends up in next door’s garden, the bike chain rusts, and the BBQ that worked perfectly in August suddenly looks like it has spent winter at the bottom of the sea.

A bit of planning now can save a lot of money, cleaning and regret in spring. This guide covers practical outdoor storage tips for furniture, BBQs, bikes, sports gear and garden equipment before winter gets properly stuck in.

Why outdoor storage matters before winter

Outdoor items are built to handle outside life, but that does not mean they're invincible.

Rain, frost, damp air, wind, UV exposure and sudden temperature changes can all cause damage over winter. Some items crack. Some rust. Some grow mould. Some become brittle. Some simply get so grubby and weather-worn that bringing them back out in spring feels like a punishment.

The aim is not to wrap your entire garden in cotton wool. It’s simply to clean, dry and store the things that will suffer if they're left outside for months.

That might include:

• Garden furniture
• Cushions and parasols
• BBQs and outdoor cooking equipment
• Bikes
• Paddleboards, kayaks and wetsuits
• Children’s outdoor toys
• Lawnmowers and tools
• Hoses, pots and planters

If you have room indoors or in a properly dry garage, brilliant. If not, flexible personal storage can be a practical way to protect bulky seasonal items without cramming them into every corner of the house.

Garden furniture storage

Garden furniture storage is usually the big one. It is often the most visible, most awkward and most expensive category of outdoor kit to replace.

Rattan, wicker, wooden and metal furniture can all be damaged by a wet winter, especially if left sitting directly on damp ground or covered with something that lets water pool.

Rattan and wicker furniture

Rattan and wicker furniture can look lovely in summer, but winter is not always kind to it.

Rain and UV exposure can make the weave brittle, faded and discoloured. Moisture trapped in the gaps can also lead to mould, especially if furniture is covered before it’s fully dry.

Before storing rattan or wicker furniture:

• Brush away loose dirt and leaves
• Wipe it down properly
• Let it dry completely
• Check between the weave for trapped moisture
• Store it somewhere dry and protected

The “dry completely” part is important. Putting damp furniture into storage is just giving mould a head start, which is very generous of you, but not ideal for your outdoor furniture.

Wooden garden furniture

Wooden furniture needs a little care before winter.

If it’s not fully protected, it may need a suitable oil or preservative before being stored. This helps protect the surface and reduces the chance of cracking, warping or weather damage.

Wooden furniture should also avoid direct contact with damp ground. If you’re storing it in a garage, shed or container, keep it raised slightly if possible so air can circulate.

Metal garden furniture

Metal furniture is hardy, but rust can creep in quickly if small chips or scratches are left untreated.

Before winter:

• Check for rust spots
• Clean the surface
• Treat any affected areas
• Touch up exposed metal where needed
• Make sure everything is dry before storage

A few minutes now can stop a tiny patch of rust becoming a much bigger springtime annoyance.

Cushions and parasols

Cushions and parasols are the items most often forgotten, and usually the quickest to be ruined.

Fabric left outside over winter can grow mould within weeks. Even if cushions are under a cover, damp air can still get in. Once fabric smells musty, it can be very difficult to bring back properly.

Wash covers where appropriate, let everything dry fully, then store cushions and parasols somewhere airtight and dry, like a LOOK self storage unit. This is one of those jobs that feels fussy until you avoid buying a whole new set of cushions next year.

BBQ storage and outdoor cooking equipment

The BBQ might be ignored for months, but it still deserves a proper clean before winter.

Good BBQ storage is not just about keeping it out of sight. Grease, ash, moisture and condensation can all cause problems if the BBQ is packed away badly or left exposed.

Gas BBQs

For gas BBQs, start by disconnecting the gas canister and storing it safely and separately. Gas canisters should never be stored indoors – it’s just not sensible, at all.

Then clean the burners, grates and trays thoroughly. Leftover grease can attract pests and speed up corrosion over winter. It is not glamorous work, but neither is opening the BBQ in spring and discovering something deeply unpleasant has been living near the drip tray.

Charcoal BBQs

Charcoal BBQs need the ash removed completely before storage.

Ash holds moisture, and moisture causes rust. If ash is left sitting in the bottom of a BBQ all winter, it can quietly do a lot of damage from the inside out.

Empty it, clean it, dry it and store it somewhere protected – our storage containers are perfect for this gig.

Pizza ovens, smokers and outdoor kitchens

Pizza ovens, smokers and outdoor cooking setups have become much more common in gardens, and they’re often among the most expensive outdoor items people own.

They can also include metal parts, electrical components, gas fittings or stone surfaces that definitely do not love months of damp weather.

A cover can help, but it is not always enough. Condensation can build up underneath covers, especially in cold, wet weather like we get here in the UK. For anything expensive, electrical or gas-powered, a dry enclosed space is a much safer option.

Bikes and outdoor sports equipment storage

Bikes and outdoor sports gear are especially relevant around Bournemouth and Poole, where cycling, beach life and watersports are part of the local rhythm for us locals.

The trouble is, bikes, paddleboards, kayaks and wetsuits are awkward to store. They don’t tuck neatly into a cupboard. They take over sheds. They block garage access. They even seem to multiply when nobody’s looking.

Good storage over winter helps protect them from damp, rust and damage.

Bike storage before winter

Bikes left outside over winter can suffer quickly, even under a cover. Damp air alone can cause rust, seized gears and perished tyres.

Before storing bikes for winter:

• Clean off mud and grit
• Lightly oil the chain
• Check the brakes and gears
• Deflate tyres slightly to reduce pressure damage from cold
• Store bikes off the ground where possible
• Keep them somewhere dry and secure

If bikes are used less often in winter, it makes sense to store them properly rather than leave them fighting the weather.

Watersports gear

Paddleboards, kayaks, wetsuits and related gear are brilliant in summer, then suddenly very much in the way by October.

These items are bulky, awkward and often too long or wide for a standard shed. A drive-up storage container can work well because you can load them straight in without dragging them through the house or balancing them in the hallway while everyone pretends not to mind.

Make sure watersports gear is rinsed, dried and stored loosely where needed. Wetsuits in particular should be properly dry before they're put away.

Kids’ outdoor toys

Trampolines, playhouses, ride-on toys and garden games are often left outside because they’re big, awkward and “probably fine”.

Sometimes they're. Sometimes they come out of winter faded, cracked, rusty or full of water.

If something is expensive to replace and barely used over winter, it’s worth thinking about whether it should be cleaned, dismantled and stored until spring.

Garden tools and equipment storage

Garden tools and equipment often get shoved into a shed at the end of the summer season and left to fend for themselves.

A little care before winter, though, can make them last longer and work better when the garden wakes up again.

Lawnmowers

Before storing a petrol lawnmower, run the fuel tank dry or use a suitable stabiliser. Stale fuel is one of the most common reasons mowers refuse to start in spring.

Clean away grass clippings and dirt before storing too. Damp clumps of grass are not doing your mower any favours.

Hoses

Hoses should be fully drained before winter storage.

Water left inside can freeze, expand and split the hose. Drain it properly, coil it neatly and store it somewhere protected from frost where possible.

Hand tools

Spades, forks, trowels, shears and secateurs should be cleaned and dried before winter.

Remove soil, wipe metal parts and lightly oil them to help prevent rust. Wooden handles may also benefit from a little care if they’re dry or rough.

Pots and planters

Terracotta pots can crack in hard frost if they’re left outside full of wet compost.

Empty or move vulnerable pots where possible, especially if they're expensive, decorative or sentimental. Plastic pots are tougher, but they can still become brittle in cold weather over time.

Winter storage tips for sheds, garages and containers

Some people assume the shed or garage will solve everything. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it simply moves the problem behind a door.

Here are a few winter storage tips to help you decide what belongs where.

Sheds are not always as weatherproof as they look

Sheds can be damp, leaky and full of condensation. They're often worse for fabric and metal items than people expect.

If a shed has gaps, a leaking roof or a damp floor, be careful what you leave in there over winter. Cushions, parasols, metal furniture, tools and bikes can all suffer.

Garages fill up quickly

Garages are useful, but they tend to attract everything.

The car, tools, paint tins, Christmas decorations, old furniture, sports kit and “things we might need one day” all end up competing for space. Garden furniture often gets squeezed in last, usually in the most annoying place possible.

If your garage is already full, forcing garden items in may not be the answer.

Storage containers work well for bulky outdoor items

A storage container can be a genuinely dry, secure alternative for large or awkward items such as furniture sets, bikes, paddleboards, BBQs and garden tools.

Our storage containers are especially useful for seasonal items because you can load bulky things more easily. Pull up, unload, and avoid carrying garden furniture through the house like some sort of damp obstacle course.

Making the seasonal swap easy

The best outdoor storage plan is the one you’ll actually do.

Don't overcomplicate it. Pick a dry weekend, clean everything properly, let fabric and furniture dry fully, then store the things that are unlikely to be used until spring.

If you only need extra room for the winter months, flexible storage can make much more sense than trying to create a permanent solution at home. You can store the bulky seasonal items, reclaim the shed or garage, then bring everything back when the weather starts behaving itself again.

LOOK has storage options in Bournemouth, Poole and Ferndown, so you can choose the location that works best for you.

Not sure how much space you need? Our storage size calculator can help you work out what size may suit a garden’s worth of furniture, bikes, BBQs and equipment.

A simple outdoor storage checklist before winter

Before winter sets in, work through this quick list:

1. Clean and dry garden furniture
2. Store cushions and parasols somewhere airtight and dry
3. Treat wooden furniture if needed
4. Check metal furniture for rust and touch up exposed areas
5. Clean BBQ grates, burners and trays
6. Empty charcoal ash completely
7. Store gas canisters safely and separately
8. Clean and oil bike chains
9. Store bikes off the ground where possible
10. Rinse and dry watersports gear
11. Drain hoses fully
12. Clean and oil hand tools
13. Empty or protect terracotta pots
14. Move bulky seasonal items into dry storage
15. Bring everything back out in spring looking far less sorry for itself

Keep your garden gear safe until spring

Winter has a habit of finding the weak spots.

A small tear in a cover. A damp cushion. A rusty screw. A bike chain left outside for “just a few weeks”. By spring, those little things can become expensive, annoying problems.

Good outdoor storage is not about being overly precious. It is about protecting the items you have already paid for, so they're ready to use when warmer weather returns.

Whether you are storing garden furniture, BBQs, bikes, tools or watersports gear, our flexible personal storage and drive-up containers can help keep everything safe, dry and out of the way for winter.

Because future you deserves to open the garden back up in spring without muttering, “Oh no, what happened to that?”