Tips & tricks to organise your shed

3 mins reading

As surely as the sun will rise, garden sheds will eventually become a crowded mess filled with broken tools, empty packages, shattered pots and a million other things you should have thrown out years ago. Over time, you would struggle to take even a single thing out of the shed. It’s not uncommon for people to avoid going to their shed altogether and simply stack tools and fertilisers outside the shed.

However, you can avoid this scenario simply by following our three golden rules below.

Declutter your shed

Yes, avoiding doing this is what got you into this mess in the first place. However, make a new resolution and clear your shed properly this one time. Get the help of a few friends and neighbours to lighten the load. Get three large boxes (or more) and quickly separate the items you want to throw away, give away or keep. This shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours. You have to be resolute and really throw away and donate things. If you change your mind and start keeping a few things, the success of the whole project will be jeopardised. Next, sweep, clean and if necessary, wash the inside of the shed. Improving the cleanliness of the shed will give you more incentive to maintain its newfound cleanliness.

Build new cabinets, shelves and hooks

The major cause of sheds becoming messy is the lack of storage space. This is understandable, since there is barely any furniture or fittings inside a typical shed. So, get ahead of this issue by either building or buying new cabinets, shelves and hooks for the shed. Second-hand wooden cabinets are easy to acquire at online marketplaces, at very affordable prices. So, buy a few and line them up at two of the four sides of a shed. Try to get the largest you can – make sure they can fit inside the shed though. Pay particular attention to the height of the shed, since the cabinet tops is actually another storage location. The third side of the shed will be reserved for shelves. Don’t be intimidated at the prospect of installing a shelf. The ones found in hardware shops are super easy to fix. You will only need either a hammer or a screwdriver. Line up three or four shelves at a reasonable distance. Make sure they are secured tightly on the wall.

Labelling and organising

Finally, start labelling your cabinets and shelves. If you don’t own a labeller, you can use a masking tape and marker to do this. This is an important step because in future visits, the labels will compel you to store goods in an organised fashion. Make sure to allocate space for heavier items, such as paints or fertilisers, at the bottom of the cabinets and shelves. Gradually work your way up. The top-level should ideally hold measuring tapes, spare drill heads or gloves. Remember the box filled with things you want to keep from earlier? Now is the time to bring it back in and start populating the cabinets and shelves. Just remember to keep the central area clear so you can place your lawnmower or leaf blower there. Your final task is to screw in hooks on the outer wall of the shed. These hooks will be used to hang rakes, brooms, compost bags and other similar items. You’re done!

Obviously, you will have to maintain the shed now. Periodically, perhaps once every three months, do a spring cleaning of the shed. However, the most important part is to respect the labels on the cabinets and shelves – any new items you bring inside the shed must be stored according to the labels. If you adhere to the labels and conduct regular clear-outs, your shed will always be in great condition