Are you tired of stepping into your outdoor storage shed and feeling completely overwhelmed by the mess and clutter? Fear no more. It’s time to turn your shed into an organized and functional space that will make your life easier.
We’ve compiled 20 tips for organizing your shed that will help reduce the clutter, maximize the space, and keep your belongings in order. Keep reading for some great shed organization ideas!
Start with a Plan
Before you start organizing, take the time to create a plan of how you want your storage shed to be organized. Make a list of all the items that need to be stored, and group them together based on similarity.
To create space in you shed and organize tools and store gardening supplies you’ll need to first clear out your shed. Take everything out of your shed and put like items together into piles on the lawn.
Now is a good time to pitch items that you no longer want to store and decide how the remaining items could be stored best.
Creating a designated area in the shed for each category of similar items. Off season decorations, garden supplies, tools, sports gear, pet supplies etc.
Invest in Storage Solutions
Purchase shelving units, storage bins, hooks, and cabinets to help maximize storage space. This allows for easy access and ensures everything is in its proper place.
Hang Items on the Walls
Utilize the wall space by hanging tools and gardening equipment on hooks. This will also prevent any tripping hazards on the floor. Dedicate some of the walls for hanging storage and some of the walls for shelves.
Label Everything
Labeling storage bins and containers will help keep everything organized and easy to locate. Take the extra step and color code the labels to quickly identify where things should go.
If you have a nuts and bolts storage box, use a sharpie to write on the front container what’s inside so you don’t have to open up every draw to find what you’re looking for.
Dedicated Area for Seasonal Items
If you have seasonal items such as summer furniture and winter gear, designate a specific area or container to store them when not in use. Installing overhead shelving for your plastic containers with seasonal clothes, and holiday decorations as you only need to move them around a few times of the year.
When summer furniture or décor comes out of the shed for the season that open up the space for you to store all your winter items in its place.
Create a Workbench
Adding a workbench to your shed offers numerous benefits, enhancing productivity and organization. A sturdy workbench provides a dedicated space for various tasks, from gardening projects to woodworking. It keeps tools and materials organized, ensuring they are readily accessible when needed. This not only saves time but also reduces the risk of accidents caused by clutter. Additionally, a workbench helps in maintaining the cleanliness of the shed, as it confines messes to a specific area. Ultimately, a workbench can transform your shed into a more functional, efficient, and safe workspace.
Install Pegboards
Installing pegboards in your shed can significantly enhance its organization and functional space. These versatile tools offer a visual, easy-to-access storage system for tools, gardening equipment, and other shed items. To install, begin by measuring your shed’s wall space and purchasing pegboard panels of the appropriate size. Next, secure furring strips to the shed wall, maintaining a space behind the pegboard for hook placement. Once the strips are mounted, attach the pegboard using screws, ensuring it is firmly secured. With the pegboard in place, you can customize your storage using hooks and bins to suit your needs, creating an organized and efficient shed workspace.
Pegboards are a great addition to any shed as they offer a customizable and efficient storage solution. They not only help keep your shed tidy, but also make it easier to find and access tools and equipment when needed. When measuring the wall space for your pegboard panels, be sure to leave enough room for future expansion or rearrangement of hooks and bins. It’s also important to consider the weight of the items you will be hanging on the pegboard and choose appropriate hooks that can support them.
In addition to storing tools and equipment, pegboards can also be used for a variety of other purposes. They are great for hanging small plants or creating a display for decorative items. You can even use them as a backdrop for your shed’s workbench, making it a functional and visually appealing workspace.
To further enhance the organization of your shed, you can label the hooks and bins on your pegboard to easily identify where each item belongs. This will save you time and frustration when searching for a specific tool or piece of equipment. Don’t limit yourself to just one pegboard in your shed. Consider adding multiple panels throughout the space to maximize storage potential. You can even use pegboard spacers to create shelves for additional storage options. Overall, installing pegboards in your shed is a simple and effective way to improve its functionality and organization. With a few panels, hooks, and bins, you can transform your cluttered shed into a well-organized workspace.
Hang Bicycles & Sports Gear
Bicycles can take up a lot of space in outdoor storage sheds. Hanging them on wall-mounted hooks will save valuable floor space. Add some hooks for helmets, elbow and knee pads, gloves etc.
Other sports gear like baseballs, basketballs or footballs can be hung up in large net bags.
Utilize the Ceiling Space
Utilizing the ceiling space in your shed can significantly enhance your storage capacity, helping you maintain an organized and clutter-free environment. Installing overhead racks, hooks or loft areas can transform unused space into a practical storage solution. Overhead storage is ideal for seasonal items or equipment that isn’t used frequently, such as holiday decorations, camping gear, or gardening tools. It’s also a great way to store bulky items that can be difficult to accommodate on normal shelves or floor space. Remember, before proceeding, it’s essential to ensure that the ceiling is strong enough to support the additional weight. You can use a stud finder to locate the ceiling joists, which are the beams that support the roof. Once you have identified the joists, make sure to securely attach your storage racks or hooks directly into them.
Installing overhead storage is a simple yet effective way to maximize your shed’s storage potential. Additionally, it allows for easy access to items without having to navigate through cluttered floor space.
One popular option for overhead storage is the use of overhead racks. These are typically made of metal and suspended from the ceiling, providing a sturdy platform to store heavy items. Overhead racks are perfect for storing large or bulky items such as bikes, kayaks, or even spare tires. You can also add hooks or shelving units to these racks for added versatility. Another option is installing a loft area in your shed, which can provide additional storage space for smaller items or boxes.
Keep Often-Used Items Within Reach
Store items that are often used towards the front or on lower shelves for easy access. This type of storage can be switched out seasonally.
Rakes, shovels and gardening tools for spring, summer and fall, and winter shovels, window scrapers and rock salt for the winter months.
Store Chemicals and Pesticides Safely
Keep these items in a locked cabinet or on a high shelf away from children and pets. Metal storage cabinets with a lock and key is a perfect solution. When storing chemicals in a shed, safety should be the utmost priority. The chemicals should be kept in their original containers with labels intact to ensure clear identification. The containers must be sealed properly to prevent leaks, and stored on high shelves or locked cabinets, out of reach of children and pets. It’s also important to separate incompatible chemicals to prevent dangerous reactions. Additionally, the shed should be well-ventilated, and a fire extinguisher should be kept nearby as a precaution. Regular checks for any potential hazards, such as deteriorating containers or signs of spills, can further enhance safety.
Labeling and identifying chemicals is crucial when storing them in a shed. It not only helps keep track of the types of chemicals being stored, but it also serves as a warning for potential hazards. In case of an emergency, knowing what kind of chemical is being handled can be life-saving information.
Install a Tool Hanger
Mount a tool hanger to the wall and free up space for your garden tools and more. You can hang shovels, rakes, mops, and brooms keeping them off the floor and provide easy access.
Repurpose Book Shelves
Instead of throwing away an old books case, move it to the shed for storage. Use open plastic bins for hand tools, and nuts and bolts can easily be stored in mason jars. It makes for great storage for cans of oils, spay paints, gas cans etc.
Designated Wall for Hanging Equipment
Use one wall to hang power tools, weed whackers, and other lawn care equipment. Use wire shelving units or hooks to keep everything off the ground. This wall can hold your bikes, rakes, and shovels. This way you’ll have the rest of the shed for shelving.
Keep Pet Supplies Together
Keep all pet supplies together in one area for easy access. Create a dedicated area for food storage, toys, crates or cat carriers and grooming supplies.
Create a Hand Power Tool Storage Rack
A designated unit for holding all your drills, and batteries and bits, power sanders etc. This can include both horizontal and vertical storage for longer items.
Use Shed Doors For Hanging Storage
If you have double opening doors use the inside of the doors for additional storage. Add some pegboard and use hooks for hanging hoses, small can or buckets hooked on the pegboard can hold garden tools that you use daily like pruners, trimmers, bug spray, and garden gloves.
Install Adjustable Shelving
Storage needs often change, so having the ability to move a shelf lower for taller items to fit. And when you have smaller items to store then adjust the shelves to hold more items. These shelving units also come with pull out draws that also can be adjusted.
Make a Screwdriver Rack
Drill holes into a slim wooden shelf that can be attached to the wall or pegboard. Drop all your screwdrivers into the holes and you’ll always see which screwdriver you need for any project.
Keep an Inventory
Keeping a list of items stored in the shed helps you especially for seasonal storage items so you remember what you have already for décor, And it’s great for storing off seasonal clothes items so when you need those items, you’ll know which container they are in.
Periodically reviewing and purging items that are no longer needed or used frees up space and reduces clutter.
Conclusion
An organized outdoor storage shed will make your life easier when it comes to locating items and reducing clutter. With these 20 tips, you can transform your shed into a functional and clutter-free space. Remember, investing time and money into organizing your outdoor storage shed will save time and money in the long run.
