Have you ever put your wheelie bin outside, only to find its contents have been blown halfway down the road by the wind? If this sounds familiar, then let me help. Wheelie bins typically easily get blown over during storms. To prevent this, you’ll need to secure them tightly in windy weather… but how do you secure your wheelie bins?
Securing a wheelie bin in a storm
Below you’ll find some helpful tips and tricks on how to solve the age-old problem of stopping a wheelie bin falling in the wind.
1. Use a dedicated bin lock
The most secure way to stop a wheelie bin blowing away is to use a bin lock designed for the purpose. There are many different locks specifically manufactured to keep bins secure in stormy weather.
The best wheelie bin locks are those that can be attached to walls and posts, as they make it almost impossible for wheelie bins to go walkabout. What’s more, they add an extra level of security by preventing thieves from stealing your bins… view this one on Amazon.
Alternatively, there’s also wheelie bin lock straps specifically designed to keep the lids of bins closed. Although these won’t stop your bin from falling over, they will prevent the lid from opening and scattering rubbish all over your neighbourhood.
So, if you want to secure your wheelie bin from being opened, you need something more like this on Amazon.
3. Wheelie bin bracket handles
I found this provider completely by chance, but think it’s a great invention, and cheap too. It’s designed to stop a wheelie bin falling in the wind and is hand-made in Britain.
The Walrus Wheelie Bin Bracket is a simple, sturdy, elegant solution for keeping your bins in place even in high winds. Visit their website for details.
4. Use a bicycle lock
For a cheaper alternative, you could try securing your bins with a bicycle lock. These are useful if a storm is on the way and you’ve yet to purchase an official wheelie bin lock.
Thankfully, most of us will have one of these lying around the house somewhere.
To secure your wheelie bin in a storm, just loop the bike lock around the handle and attach it to a fence or post. If you have multiple bike locks, try locking your bins together to keep them from rolling away.
5. Place your bins next to your neighbours
This next strategy is all about safety in numbers.
If you can’t easily store your wheelie bins someplace sheltered from the wind, try placing them next to your neighbour’s bins. When jammed together it should help keep them stable and prevent them from being blown over in high winds and bad weather.
However, be careful that you don’t accidentally mix them up when you go to retrieve them – I’ve made this mistake once or twice in the past!
6. Store your bins in a sheltered area / bin store
One particularly bad winter, we had storm after storm hit our town. No matter what I tried, my wheelie bins were constantly being knocked over and the contents of them spilt all over the road.
If I had the space, I would have built a bin store (you can also buy on Amazon). Thankfully, you don’t need to go quite as far as this. Instead, try and find a sheltered area on your property where the incoming storm won’t reach your bins. If possible, store them in your garage or around the back of your home.
Handy Hint: I’ve previously published options on how bin stores can be used to hide unsightly and ugly wheelie bins.
Other ways to secure your wheelie bin in high winds or storms
The above are quite simply the best ways, but if you’re still struggling, here are some more tips on how to secure a wheelie bin in a storm.
Put your bins out for collection in the morning
I know, I know. I don’t like getting up early to put the bins out either but it’s a good idea if you want to prevent them from being blown down the street. We can’t always predict when bad weather will hit during the night, and emptied bins are especially dangerous during storms. If left unchecked, they can quickly cause damage to cars and property and wreak havoc in the neighbourhood.
Use hooks and bungee cord
If you store your bins next to your house, try adding hooks to the wall where you can attach them in the event of a storm. However, bear in mind that the hooks will need to be sturdy to keep the bins firmly in place as flimsy hooks can easily break in bad weather.
Similarly, you could also loop bungie cords (see on Amazon) around your bins and tie them securely to your fence. Bungee cords are relatively cheap and can be found on websites such as eBay and Amazon, for as little as 10 pounds.
Weigh your wheelie bin down with a heavy item
If you have no other options available, you could try grabbing a heavy item and weighing the top of your bin down with it. Although not very glamorous, this should keep it in place and prevent its lid from flying open during wind and storms.
I guess you could also try stuffing a black waste bag with heavy items like tiles and placing this inside. After all, the heavier a bin, the less likely it will be blown over.
However, I’ve not tried this method myself and can’t vouch for its effectiveness. There’s also the matter of safety, don’t try this if you keep your bin on the pavement, as it could fall over and injure someone.
Use a heavy item to keep your bin in place
As another last resort, you could block your wheelie bins in with your car. Many of my neighbours do this, and they have no trouble with their bins flying away during storms.
Alternatively, you could also place concrete slabs around the wheels of your bin to prevent it from rolling away or tipping over. Large and heavy plant pots can also be used in much the same way.
However, dragging around heavy objects every time a storm is predicted isn’t something you want to make a habit of.
Plus, there’s always the chance your potted plants could get damaged or broken, depending on the severity of the weather.
Conclusion
As the cold winter season approaches, storms and high winds become more common, wreaking havoc on our wheelie bins. This is such a common problem in certain areas that it’s not unusual for the government to become involved and assist residents.
Needless to say, with the guide above you will have an easier time keeping your wheelie bins safe from falling in the wind the next time a storm takes place.
You might also like…
- How to cover up exposed wires in your outdoor space
- That hole you dug in your yard could be illegal!
- How to stop a thief from stealing your wheelie bin
Image in header via https://pixabay.com/photos/wheelie-bin-garbage-rubbish-waste-3096643/