Your pool cabana provides convenient and probably necessary extra storage space for your pool. Of course, you keep all the accessories that come with your pool. Towels, pool toys and lounge cushions. Tools and chemicals for pool maintenance. Maybe your pool heater and other mechanical systems are hidden in there, too. You and your guests will probably change in there, and you can store snacks and drinks for the pool. But there is so much more that your cabin can be used for if you organize and design it correctly. It can be so much more than a storage shed. Done right, the pool cabana can also be a stylish, entertaining, and recreational space.
With a full sink and pantry, refrigerator and freezer, you can entertain in your cabin. Plug in some outlets if you don’t already have them, and mix up ice-cold drinks poolside. Install a bathroom and you won’t have wet footprints running through your house, or worse, risk slipping. It just takes organization and a little ingenuity, because most cabins aren’t that big in square footage.
divide and conquer
If your cabin is just one big open space, divide it with walls to establish rooms with specific functions. You don’t want to feel like you’re relaxing in a storage compartment. If a fully grown wall looks permanent, hang a drape or two to get an idea of how you’ll best use your space when you’re “live.” You may find that you want more entertainment space and less storage or vice versa. Give it a season or two and then make your remodeling decisions for the long haul.
think up
Remove as many stored items from the floor as possible. Wall shelving, and even ceiling beam-like shelving if you have headroom, are great for organizing those pool floats, lounge chair cushions, and pole nets. Cabinets with drawers are just as important in the cottage as the kitchen. And don’t limit your storage capacity to the designated storage area if it makes sense. The living room and relaxation area shouldn’t be cluttered with storage, but a little might make sense and even give the ambience of truly poolside living indoors.
organize smartly
You don’t want to break your back lifting heavy objects, especially if you use them all the time. Organize the things you need to store by weight and how often you plan to use them. Something you use frequently should be more accessible than others. And remember that the drawers do not have to be for towels or utensils. Larger drawers can be great for larger items and get them out of the way.
waste not want not
This is where you really need to think outside of the box. When you’re saving your space, you can’t let any space go to waste. Install a bar above the pool heater to dry towels. Install drawers in cabinets that maximize capacity.
Be ruthless with what you store. Things you don’t use regularly—or ever—shouldn’t take up valuable space for things you use every day, all season long. When the season starts (or at least once a year if you have a year-round season), take inventory of everything by pulling it off shelves and out of drawers. If you haven’t used it in a year, throw it away. If you just can’t part with it, do you really need to take up space in your cabin? Your cabin is not, or at least should not be, an attic or a basement. Store what you use for the pool in the pool cabana. Store your Christmas decorations elsewhere.
Of course, there is always the option of building a second cabin or expanding the existing one. Make your cabin a refuge, where you can entertain yourself, watch TV and even sleep. You and your pool guests won’t be sorry.