5 Foldable Home Depot Finds That Can Help Save Space Around The House

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We all know all about saving space with folding things ... folding chairs, card tables, TV trays, camping chairs and tables, phones, even doors. There are a lot of folding products you don't necessarily happen across every day, which might be a lot of missed opportunities to save or maximize space. The Home Depot website turns up 7,433 search results for "foldable," and the retailer has some convenient options. 

Of course, folding itself doesn't necessarily do much for you. Sometimes a folding item takes up a different space, not less space. A drop shelf like the Sunrinx folding wall shelf we discuss below, for example, takes up just as much space when folded as when deployed. But when it's not in use, it takes advantage of vertical space in areas where floor space is at a premium. 

Products have different ways of folding, including accordion, telescoping, hinged, and other mechanisms. This matters a lot less than the various categories of folding things, like work surfaces, tools, seating, and others. We've selected five Home Depot products in these categories that we think are a great example of how to save space with a folding solution.

There are lots of foldable workspaces, from workbenches to potting benches, that create a zone of productivity when you unfold them. Many of the best folding desks and work tables collapse to take up a fraction of their original footprint. The Seafuloy Folding Office Table runs about $150, and it takes up half the space when it's folded down. Unfolded, it occupies a modest 33 by 21 inches. This makes it a good student desk or space for the occasional work-from-home day. 

There's also a shelf underneath the tabletop. When the piece is folded, that shelf and everything on it remains in position and covered by the tabletop. This makes it an ideal setup for tasks that involve unsightly materials like reference books for work or homeschool materials and supplies. 

Other foldable workspaces we spotted at Home Depot include the Lifetime Folding Workbench, which folds into a compact wall-mounted toolbox. The Techni Mobili Folding Desk has an ample tabletop, but folds so tiny it can be stowed in a closet or behind a sofa. The Flynama Folding Potting Bench folds nearly flat and includes potting-specific features like a built-in covered bag for soil or compost.

The Sunrinx Folding Decorative Wall Shelf is a versatile item that can be used anywhere you'd like to expand the amount of work surface, like a laundry room. These sorts of wall-mounted folding tabletops are simple, and it's certainly possible to DIY one. But at less than $150, buying one streamlines the process. The space-saver would also be useful in craft rooms and other areas where the need for workspace changes depending on the project. It could make a serviceable desk, as well.

The Sunrinx table holds up to 100 pounds. But if you need a collapsible work surface for, say, a garage or workshop, you might consider something like the very similar Ryobi Stowaway Folding Workbench. It's made of durable materials and can handle as much as 300 pounds.

While we're on the topic of drop-down tables and shelving, accessory products that make folding possible are another option to think about. For example, these Nvnoo Folding Shelf Brackets are about $50 a pair. They basically make it possible to turn a board, a bit of countertop, an ironing board, and just about anything else flat into a drop-down work surface. Just attach the brackets to the flat surface, attach them to the wall, and bingo: fold-down desk, table, or ironing surface.

Each pair of Nvnoo shelf brackets can handle a load of up to 198 pounds. To keep that from collapsing, they've built in a locking mechanism that's easy to engage and disengage. They come with screws and wall anchors, as well as conveniently placed mounting holes pre-drilled into the steel. Other products that might fit the staging category include general-purpose folding work stands, folding legs, various types of hinges, accordion gates, telescoping planks, and just about any other folding-related hardware you can think of.

Folding storage is one thing, but foldable portable storage has a set of uses all its own. A classic example is the workshop utility cart, which is helpful as a project tool that can be collapsed when not in use. A garden cart is another example and is one of the best DIY landscaping tools to move things around the yard. The Vivosun Collapsible Garden Cart provides 6.7 cubic feet and 350 pounds of carrying capacity to help with lawn and garden chores. And while wheelbarrows and non-folding carts can take up a lot of space wherever you park them, the Vivosun cart has a much smaller footprint when it's collapsed.

The universal wheels that come with the Vivosun are helpful, but you could also potentially replace them with rubber or even pneumatic wheels, which would be ideal for pulling a load through garden soil. The cart is made of 600D Oxford fabric with a water-repellent PVC coating to withstand the elements. The built-in wheel brakes allow users to park the cart securely on uneven terrain. 

This should be familiar to almost everyone. Products like the Gorilla Ladders 2-Step Aluminum Step Stool are helpful during a variety of projects and chores. At around $50, it's a reasonable investment for an item that can be used for everything from painting walls to trimming and cutting hedges. This particular model is strong, with a 250-pound capacity, but by virtue of its aluminum construction, it weighs a mere 6 pounds. This makes it easy to transport from room to room as you work. 

The stool has a tray at the top designed to hold things like tools and paint as you work. When not in use, it folds down to a little over 3 inches, so it can be slid out of the way for storage. There is also an option with three steps if you feel like you need a bit more height.