If you own a home with a backyard, then
chances are you have a shed in the back corner of that yard. If you’ve lived in
that home for a long time, then that same shed is probably an eyesore in your
backyard landscape. It happens, we all leave our junk in the sheds to get it
out of the house and then it just sits there, year after year. But now it’s
time to clean out that shed and use it! Why let a perfectly good bit of space
go to waste?
What to do with all the clutter and junk that’s been sitting
there for years
Before even starting on your interior design,
you really need to give your shed a deep heavy clean. Everyone has a messy,
junky shed; we all do it. There’s probably stuff in there from your childhood.
But let me give you a little advice: let it go! If it’s worn out, broken, or if
you haven’t used it in years, don’t keep it. Lots of places take donations or
you might even be able to get a little cash for your unwanted clutter. Either
way, just get it out of there. Limit yourself to things you actually use. Not
only will this free up tons of space, but it’ll make it easier to manage your
shed and keep it tidy in the future.
Tackling a shed cleaning job is no easy feat;
the more hands, the better. If you have a family, get the kids involved. Just
make sure all the sharp tools are somewhere safe, you don’t want any injuries
for your family fun day of cleaning. But really, anyone using the shed should
pitch in and help. There are more jobs to do than just declutter.
For example, you’ll probably want to sweep
away the years of dust, dirt, and grime. You may even want to take a pressure
washer to your shed to get it really clean. Cobwebs can also be swept away with
a broom, and a good spray of bug repellent will get out all the rest of the
creepy crawlies.
If you want to give your shed a touch of
personality, add some color! You might have found some
leftover paint when you were decluttering, why not use it up? Let’s face it, a storage shed interior isn’t
necessarily the nicest aesthetic. A little color on the walls will give your
shed a lighter atmosphere and really brighten up the place. Plus, it’ll be
better incentive to care for your shed and keep it clean and clutter-free.
The Macho Man Cave: tips to make your tool shed the envy of
all your bros
Now that your shed is cleaned out and
decluttered, you can decide what you want to do with it. If you’re keeping it
as a storage shed, there’s tons of organizational tips and tricks to keep things
looking nice. And you can even add touches of masculinity to give it more of a
man cave feel.
To start with your storage space saving, look
up! The ceiling is probably the most overlooked part of a shed in terms of
storage space, but there’s so much you can use it for! Use a couple 2x4’s to
install overhead shelves for things you don’t always use like coolers or
Christmas lights. You can attach stuff to the bottom of the shelves for a bit
of dude decor, like beer bottle caps or gear from your favorite football team.
If you’re keeping bikes in your shed, you can
store them overhead too. Just mount a bike rack to the ceiling and voila, extra
floor space. You could also hang some PVC pipes from the ceiling which will
provide great storage spaces for skinny pieces like fishing rods.
Another great option for skinny stuff storage
is a shovel rack. You can buy them at any home goods store or you can DIY with
a mounted 2x4 with notches cut in it. You can use this to store and organize
shovels, brooms, rakes, garden hoes, or anything else that typically just gets
leaned against the wall.
In shed storage, shelves are everything. They’re the easiest
way to keep things neat, organized, and accessible. You can mount shelves to
the wall, or use a free standing rack. Put things you use most often at eye
level so they’re easier to find. Keep heavy items near the bottom to avoid
accidents and put seasonal items and other stuff you rarely use but still need
up top.
As for all your tools, there a few ways to
keep these organized that are both functional and stylish. First you could try
a magnetic tool holder. Since most, if not all,
tools are metal, magnets are a great way to organize and display what you’ve
got in your tool box. Just mount a magnetic strip to the wall, and then you can
hang your files, screw drivers, pliers, and other tools. This is a great
storage technique for paint brushes since it lets them air dry without
squashing or misshaping the bristles.
A really great awesome storage display for
your storage shed interior is the classic tool wall. To make yours, lay out all
your tools on a bench or work surface to find how they all fit together. Then,
using hooks or other mounting materials, transfer your display onto the wall.
It may take a bit of shifting around before you find a layout that you like the
look of. Once you’re satisfied with the tool of your tool wall, outline each
individual tool with permanent marker or paint. That way, whenever you use
something, you know exactly where to put it back. It’s a really great functional
use of the space, and it looks awesome.
If the classic tool wall isn’t really your
style, you could go more modern with a peg board. There are super easy to use,
just hang up however many boards you need depending on your tool collection.
Then use hooks to hang everything up. Simple!
For all the little washer, bolts, and other
knick knacks, tidy storage is key. A really great way to keep your little bits
organized is to use those magnetic strips I mentioned earlier. Stick some to
the underneath of a shelf. Then grab a few small mason jars and organize all
those tiny pieces into the jars. The metal lids will stick to the magnetic
strip and you can see all your bits and bobs on display, just be sure to label
them!
Gardener’s Glory: ways to turn your shed into a plant lover
paradise
You can take your fresh new shed space in
another direction and go for a garden
shed interior. May you have more plant pots and seeds than tools anyway,
and this can be a really great use of space.
A lot of the same tips for the storage shed
apply for a garden shed. The ceiling can be used for hanging baskets, and
shelving units will make it easy to organize pots, soil, and other gardening
materials. That magnetic tool hanger would be perfect for spades, hoes, and
trimmers.
A really convenient space saver would be to
hang your garden hose on the wall. You can do this by mounting any kind of
cylinder to the wall, or maybe even an old wheel for a rustic look. This will
keep your hose off the floor so you don’t trip over it, and hanging it on the
wall is easy access for when you need to use it outside.
You can store twine used to tying plants or
hanging baskets in little funnels mounted on the wall. Simply place the ball of
twine in the large part of the funnel and feed the bit of twine through the
narrow end. This keeps the twine from unraveling and makes it easier to use
since you don’t need an extra hand to hold it while you cut.
To keep with your garden aesthetic, any unused planters can be stacked out shelves or
mounted to the wall for extra storage. These would be a great place to keep
weed spray, pesticides, or other chemicals you might use in your garden.
Finally, to add some plant life to your shed,
you might consider knocking down a wall and putting in a large window instead.
This creates a sort of greenhouse where you can protect your plants from harsh
elements, while also having them on display for you
and your family or guests to visually enjoy. Plus, it makes the garden shed interior look so
much nicer.
But what if I don’t have a shed?
If you’ve read this whole article and seen
some ideas you really love, but don’t actually have a shed to make over, don’t
fret! You could just go out and buy one, but those can be expensive (upwards of
$2,000!) and what’s the fun in that?
Lucky for you, there are tons of guides on the
internet for how to DIY a backyard shed. My personal favorite, and arguably the
easiest and cheapest option, is the pallet shed. Lots of businesses get
different shipments delivered on pallets and then leave the pallets out for
anyone to take, so your main material is free! Just be sure to measure out how
big you want your shed and get the right amount of pallets. It’s always better
to have more than not enough.
You also need to make sure you have the proper
tools. To make your own pallet shed you’ll need a cordless drill, a ⅝ drill
bit, a circle saw, an oscillating tool, pliers, Philips heads, a tape measure,
and a level (the bigger the better!). To make your base and elevate your shed,
you’ll also need a shovel to dig out your foundation, some cement blocks, and
2x4’s. It might also be a good idea to have a step ladder handy, depending on
how tall you want to make your shed.
Other than the obvious pallets, you’ll need a
few different materials as well. You’ll need about five foot lengths of
all-thread to attach the pallets together for the walls, and a pound of nuts
and washers to go with it. You’ll also need about five pounds of 1½ inch
screws, and two pounds of 3 inch screws. For your shed door you’ll need a 4x8
sheet of chipboard and whatever hardware you want to use for hinges and a door
knob. Lastly, to cover your shed with a roof, you’ll be using six 12x2 feet
sheets of corrugated roofing tin.
Once you have all your pallets and other
materials gathered, you can get started with the base. First you’ll have to dig
a square in the ground whatever size you want your shed to be. This
guide is for a 10x10’ pallet shed, so that’s the measurements I’ll
be going off of. Then you need to line the square with your cement blocks to
elevate your shed and lay your starting 2x4’s across.
Then you can start on your shed’s skeleton!
Begin by attaching your pallets to the 2x4’s and then to each other using the
all-thread, nuts and washers, and your screws. To be on the safe side and make
your shed extra study, attach your pallets on the top, bottom, and center, just
to make them really tight.
Once you’ve got your wall started, you’ll just
keep working your way around the back and up the sides. These
folks used smaller pallets on the sides to that the roof was slanted
to help rain drain off the back, which is really important to protect your shed
and everything inside from water damage.
When you reach the front, you can use skinny
pallets to make the edges. These are usually taller than normal pallets, so
it’ll be good for your slanted roof. Then you can make your doorframe out of
the 2x4’s. The door itself is going to be made using your chipboard and some of
the pallet tops. Measure carefully and think about what you’re using your shed
for. If you want to store larger equipment like lawn mowers, then you might
want to make a double door for your shed. To top it all off you’ll be laying
7-12’ 2x4’s across the top and then attaching the sheets of corrugated tin.
Now your skeleton is finished, you’re ready to
build the exterior of your shed. The
guide recommends leaving some spaces for windows to let in some
natural light. This is a great idea because it saves you from having to install
any electrics in your shed, plus it makes the atmosphere inside a little
brighter. You can use fluorescent light covers and cut them to fit your window
spaces.
The material for the exterior is the pallet
tops. They make a great finish for your shed as they’ll be pretty much uniform
width and have different colors of wood for a really rustic aesthetic. Putting
them together is very similar to laying hardwood floor, just attach them
horizontally and measure exactly when you get to the ends then use the leftover
piece to start the next row. The sides can be a little tricky due to the
slanted roof, but if you measure your angles carefully you’ll have a really
neat incline all the way across.
And that’s it! Now you have a shed that you
built all by yourself. For a more comprehensive list of tools, materials, and
instructions, just follow this
guide (it comes with pictures!).
Whether you’re building your own shed to use,
or giving a makeover to the one you already have, these organizing tips and
tricks are sure to make your shed a more efficient and easy to use space.