Shed Storage Ideas: 13 Hacks And Solutions For Effective Organization

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Organization of lesser-used storage areas is something often overlooked by homeowners. When you clean and organize your home, the things you’re likely to pay the most attention to in terms of organization and cleanliness are the spaces and items you see the most. So, while your kitchen may be spotless, your shed, garage or basement probably doesn’t have the same level of polish.

That said, all areas of your home, not just the ones with the most foot traffic, can use some organization. For those who may own a cluttered shed or other backyard storage area, here are some of our ideas for getting organized.

Before you worry about organization, it may be worth considering whether you have enough storage space for all your things to begin with. If you have yard space, odds are, you also have outdoor equipment and other belongings that need storage – like a lawn mower, tools, paint cans, etc.

Rather than just throwing all these items into your basement or garage – or worse, leaving them outside in the elements – it may be a good idea to build a shed to house them, if you have room (and if there are no HOA restrictions preventing you from building something). If you already have a shed and it’s overflowing, maybe consider whether building a new, larger one would be worthwhile.

A shed can be a great space for storing things you may not want to sit in your house, such as gardening tools. You could also use a shed to store things for a hobby you may have no room for in your home. The possibilities for this small extra space are endless.

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Once you have a shed or other outdoor storage area like a barn, consider these storage solutions to keep things organized.

Adjustable shelves can be easily modified to store items of varying sizes. Shelving helps to keep clutter from migrating to the floor or your workbench and maximizes your overall shed space.

Mobile shelving is another option to help keep your shed decluttered. This type of shelving is usually on wheels and can be pushed out of the way and relocated if necessary. Three-tier carts are a popular form of mobile shelving and can be used to hold everything from art supplies to plants.

Putting your storage on wheels obviously allows you to clear floor space, but it can also make tasks easier by making your belongings more easily accessible. If you use a rolling shelf or storage cart for tools, as an example, you could roll it with you around whatever project you’re working on.

If you have smaller metal tools to store, like screwdrivers, files and  hammers, a great way to save space is to invest in magnetic strips. Magnetic wall strips are often utilized in kitchens to quickly store knives, but they can be used in your shed, too! This keeps your metal tools easily accessible and out of your way without taking up shelf space.

There’s a reason every tool shed you walk into has a pegboard – it’s a storage staple. If you have things you’d like to store on the wall, tools or not, a pegboard can help make that happen without much fuss. With a pegboard, you can arrange pegs and other storage attachments like baskets wherever you’d like. Gone are the days of digging through boxes for that wrench – now you can find it right on the wall.

For larger items, like bikes, wheelbarrows, trimmers and lawn care equipment, storage can be a little more complicated. A few bikes can take up more than their fair share of space in a shed if left standing on the floor, which consumes square footage that could be otherwise utilized. Instead of leaving items like these on the ground, invest in some heavy-duty hooks to hang things on the wall. By using drywall anchors with the screws used to affix hooks on your wall, you can potentially hang things that weigh up to 100 pounds.

When looking for extra storage space, there’s one place you may have overlooked – the ceiling. If your shed has beams that cross the room above you, you could use those (or hooks) to hang lighter items from above. Plants, clothes and even shoes can be stored easily this way. If you have heavier items, there are also shelves that you can hang from your ceiling for this purpose. Hanging shelves and items up is a good way to find a place for things that don’t go anywhere else, like holiday decorations and other seasonal items

Even the door to your shed offers opportunities for storage. While a door doesn’t offer much stability for shelves, it can hold clothes and other lightweight belongings on hooks easily. Consider hanging bags, coats, hats and umbrellas. A whiteboard or chalkboard can be another creative back-of-door addition, especially if your shed is a hobby-space.

If you use or plan to use your shed for crafting, woodworking, art or any other hobby that requires tools of some kind, you’ll likely need some kind of workspace. Investing in a large workbench can be great, but if you want to conserve space, you may consider opting for a hideaway or fold-down workbench, instead. These types of workbenches are designed to fold up or otherwise transform from workspace to regular furniture – or disappear entirely – when you’re done using them.

For shed owners with a lot of power tools, you may want to consider a power tool rack. These mountable shelves are custom made for power tools and often sold by hardware stores and websites like Amazon. Some advanced shelving products may even have places for you to charge any battery-powered tools you may have.

If you have a lot of small items to store, like various screws, bolts or even pencils or paperclips, try upcycling mason jars or glass drink containers to use for storage. You can keep different screws, bolts and washers organized this way – or split up pens, pencils and markers. To find things easily at a glance, consider making labels for the sides of your jars.

Once your shed is organized, you can get excited about all the home and yard projects or new hobbies you have planned. Hopefully, with your supplies organized and easily accessible, you can save time on chores, your hobbies and future cleaning. So, what next?

Hanging a calendar in your shed – particularly a dry erase board calendar that you can easily make changes to and wipe down to reuse next month – can keep you on track with regular maintenance or special projects. You can make notes of days you plan to mow the lawn, timelines for renovations, outdoor project deadlines and anything else you want to include. A calendar can help keep your shed space from becoming cluttered by reminding you of upcoming projects and chores that you’ll need to stay organized for.

Whether you use your shed for a hobby like art or for storing tools and equipment, it’s a space that needs to stay organized. A good shed can provide you with all the resources you need at a glance – and a messy one can feel like a disorganized nightmare. Getting organized will save you time in the long run, no matter what you’re organizing.

Looking to build a shelf of your own? Consider a cash-out refinance if you need the funds to put your new outdoor storage space together.