The chaos of the busy planting season along with a frenzied harvest and preparations for fall can leave your outdoor shed looking a little chaotic. Since you pretty much have to halt all other garden activities until spring, now is a great time to reorganize and reevaluate your garden shed and determine what you really need. Set aside some time on the next sunny weekend to create the ultimate storage shed. Your future self will thank you when you know exactly where to find that obscure weeding tool. Don’t know where to start? Follow these tips, and you’ll be organized in no time.
Take everything out
This is an excellent rule of thumb when it comes to organizing anything, but especially a place like your garden shed that is often overlooked and neglected. Before you go out and buy any shelving, buckets, or hooks for storage, remove everything from your space and put it in a pile. Use this time to thoroughly sweep out and clean your shed and get rid of any cobwebs that may be hanging around.
Get rid of old or broken tools
That splintery shovel that’s been sitting in the darkest corner of your shed for three years? Yeah, it’s probably time to let it go. Get rid of anything that you didn’t use in the past garden season or old tools that are just taking up space.
Make a list of what you need
If you have a bunch of small hand tool just sitting in a pile, you probably need a space to hang them. Grab a piece of paper and a pen and jot down anything to need to help organize your shed. Also, be sure to keep track of any tools that you’re missing.
Embrace empty space
The last thing you want is for your garden shed to be so full that you have no room for actual planting. Ideally, this should be a space not just to store your tools and extra pots and soil, but it should also be a place for repotting, collecting seeds, and any other garden tasks that you may need to complete. Make sure that you install a few extra potting benches with storage below them so that you have a place to work sort through your harvest and plant containers.
Natural light
Once again, if you only have room in your yard for a small garden shed to store things, that is totally fine. However, if you have the means for a larger shed, you will find it infinitely useful. If you plan to spend any time in this shed or want to keep live plants in it, it is essential to have a source of natural light. Look into a skylight or a window to provide fresh air and help you see what you are doing.
Install shelving
Shelving, shelving, shelving. There is perhaps nothing more critical in the world of organization. Once you’ve determined what you need and have used all of the available space, consider installing handy shelves of some sort to keep things off the ground and easily accessible. You can use a freestanding metal or plastic utility shelf, floating shelves above your potting bench, or even an old bookcase from the thrift store. Utilize what you have and if you want to try a DIY project, consider making your own shelf to fit your specific needs.
Use pegboard or magnetic strip
Hang a pegboard on the wall and add hooks to keep your tools such as hand shovels, clippers, and rakes together. For tools that you use frequently, it may be a good idea to install a magnetic strip that is strong enough to hold any tools you would want to put on it.
Keep a calendar
While you have extra time in the fall and winter, put together a planting and garden task calendar. For instance, markdown when it’s time to mulch and when it’s time to order seeds or plant your tomatoes. This will help you know exactly what needs to be done in any given week and will ensure that you don’t miss any critical planting dates.
Add a chalkboard
Use a chalkboard or a whiteboard in your shed to keep track of little reminders for the next time you garden. If you noticed that you need to thin or deadhead some of your annuals, take note of it on your board. That way, you’ll know what needs to get done on your next garden day.
What is your favorite trick for having an organized garden shed? Let us know in the comments below!
-Taylor Ramsey
