Storage & Garden Sheds

If only you had more space…it’s an easy solution so no wonder we all think the same way.  But with proper storage solutions and some creative thinking, you don’t need to increase the size of your shed, you can just do more with the space you have already. Here are a few smart strategies for sorting out your shed: 1) In with the new, out with the old 2) Organize & Label 3) Get creative with your space

They Call it Shed for a Reason

The dictionary definition of shed is “to get rid of”, so in keeping with the true meaning of the word, once a year when you spring clean, be sure to go through everything you have in your shed and if you aren’t using it on a regular basis, either shed it, or rethink where you’re keeping it. Items that don’t get used on a regular basis shouldn’t be upfront taking up prime real-estate - these items should be tucked away up in the rafters, or in storage containers - after all if you only use it once a year it’s not a big deal if it takes you a few minutes to get it out.

When you’re doing your yearly shed, remove everything and sort it into several categories, regularly use, seldom use and never use. Either dispose of the items you never use, find a niche in your shed for them or store them somewhere else. The seldom use items should be at the back of the shed, where it takes a little effort to get to, and the regularly use should be right up front where you need them.

It’s surprising how much space you’ll reclaim using this method - it also helps us think about what we really need in the shed and what can be donated, disposed of, or stored away somewhere else.

Organize Your Shed

Yes we’ve all heard this so many times it probably makes you want to scream out I know this, it’s obvious.  Here’s a age old method though that works, but still gets ignored as it requires a little work.

Take all the regularly used items and organize them using a system reflecting how you use your garden shed. Are you a gardener, or do you just use your shed for the typical items like the lawnmower, bikes and other items that have been forced out of the garage and basement?  If you’re a gardener then get yourself lots of hanging hooks, shelving and storage containers. It makes organization much easier when everything has it’s place.  Soil, compost and seeds can all be kept in containers and if the size permits, on shelves.

Planters and flower pots can be stacked and placed on shelving - hanging baskets can be hung from the hooks.  If your shed has rafters, get a couple sheets of plywood and install them up there - then keep a ladder handy (hanging on the wall works well), and you can store the items you’re only going to be using when you’re first planting, saving you precious space.

If you’re just a storage shed kind of person, then add shelving above the space where your lawnmower goes, if space is really tight, and you’re physically able, get some large hooks and when you push your lawnmower into the shed, tilt it up and hook the handle onto the hooks, reducing the footprint of the mower for bikes or other large items.  If this won’t work- then make sure you have the shelving we mentioned earlier.

Bikes are always awkward and a challenge to store.  Here’s a solution - if you’re shed has the height, or better yet - if you have a garage - Mountain Equipment Co-op sells this cool system that uses pulleys and suspends the bikes up high, creating space where there was none. Don’t worry it has special safety mechanisms to prevent accidental release, and you don’t need to be a body builder to use it - my daughter can suspend two bikes on her own.

If you live in a northern climate where you’re really only using your shed in the late spring, summer and fall and can’t really get to the shed in the winter anyways, then get winter items out and store them in the garage or basement.

Look Outward and Upward

As we’ve mentioned already, rafters are an ideal spot for storing items that you don’t use on a regular basis. There are some really great storage systems on the market to help make the most of the traditionally unused upper space of your shed.

A company called “Loft it” (http://www.loft-it.com) sells some cool kits that use a hydraulic lift system used for things like a lawn tractor, motor bikes and ski-doos.Simply drive your equipment onto the lift and with the push of a button the lift rises and you can now use the space below for other storage.

Another neat system is the Hy-Loft storage kit (http://www.hyloft.com).
For sheds with finished ceilings, or to move things from the shed into the garage or basement, it’s a great option for suspended storage. Simple shelves are supported with brackets suspended from the ceiling, or they can even be mounted to the wall with special brackets. It’s durable enough to store anything large items to and has a capacity of up to 250 pounds.

For those of us looking for something simpler, and have rafters to work with, get some simple plywood sheeting from the local home improvement center, and mount them on the top of the rafters. You’ll need to either create a built in ladder, or keep a step ladder hanging on the wall close by for easy access. Up here you can place light weight but large items such as planters, backyard torches, basically anything you can manage to get up there on a ladder.

Another simple and cheap ways to create overhead storage space is by using screw in hooks in underside of your rafters and then suspending equal lengths of steel chain. Attach a large piece of plywood to the ends of the chains with some S hooks, you’ll have a place for anything that you can lift up there. Be sure to use durable, quality hooks and chain and to keep things from falling off, screw some 2 x 4’s standing on their sides along the perimeter of the plywood sheet.  Again, just watch the weight of the items being stored up here.

For other neat storage systems check out http://www.improvementscatalog.com/home/diy/garage-rafter-storage, they have a large selection of really useful storage systems that won’t break the bank and will definitely help clear the clutter in your shed.

Have some ideas you’d like to share with others on storage? Leave a comment and tell us about your storage and organization tips and ideas!

Tags: garden sheds, organizing my shed, shed organization, storage shed organization, storage sheds