After considering all the options for your storage needs, you have decided that the storage bench is the best way to keep everything you use on a daily basis organized.
But maybe there is a better way than purchasing an entire storage bench.
You have plenty of chairs now, and why add more clutter when there doesn't need to be - storage bench or not? There are ways of getting around without a storage bench for the time being.
From building your own, to borrowing a little inspiration from art, there are ways that you can effectively create your own bench with many of the tools you already have available to you.
One of the more cost-effective measures to procuring a storage bench is building your own.
There are many different free websites from which you can download your own plans and build your own bench with a little know how and the right tools.
What's more, you now have a personal investment in your patio, because one of the pieces did not come from a store, but was built by your own two hands.
I only recommend this for the mechanically adept amongst us: misreading or mistreating your plans at all could result in a load of lumber that will ultimately be destined for the fire heap than to sit on your deck as a marvel of your creation.
If you don't have the tools or the mechanical knowledge to build your own storage bench (it is okay - I readily admit that I have the knowledge but not the tools), you may want to consider taking a page from the theatre playbook.
On stage, when a scene calls for a certain item, and the company doesn't have the item, the theatre will replace the item with a comparable item of equal or lesser value.
The same can apply to your patio.
While you may not have a storage bench, there's nothing saying that an old and beat up hope chest couldn't work.
Try hitting up some of your local garage sales, or even look around craigslist for a chance to make an old piece work for your new deck-side dream.
If both of the above options do not make for a pleasant experience in looking for a storage bench, then you may have to get creative with your storage needs.
If you are not ready to take the jump to buying a bench, consider where everything will go, and how you will find space for all of your items.
For instance, all of your barbecue needs can be stored in the barbecue once you are done with it - from utensils to cleaning brushes and cleaning supplies.
When you are done with the cushions on your chair, you can put them with the rest of your throw pillows and cushions in your home, in a cabinet.
Instead of finding new ways to store things in your garage, perhaps a little reorganizing is in order.
While these are all viable options, take into consideration the added labor involved in keeping all of these items clean and stored simultaneously.
You may find that having one consolidated location for all of them may just be easier.
Regardless of the alternatives, a storage bench is one of the best places to keep everything you need to enjoy the outdoors stored.
Adding one of these to your deck will ensure you have a place to hold everything you need to truly enjoy the great outdoors.