Home gardens are incredibly versatile spaces. However, if not given the TLC they deserve, they can become a dumping ground for tools, toys, spare tiles, and other detritus born of green-fingered good intentions.
Even if the weather can be disheartening, decluttering your garden can be a great way to make the most of those fleeting sunny summer days.
Join us as we discuss easy storage solutions for your garden, transforming it from a dumping ground to a nook of peace and quiet.
Make more efficient use of your shed space
When was the last time you took a good look at your garden shed? And we don’t mean just tossing an item back in, shutting the door as fast as possible, and hoping for the best.
However, if you can brave the cobwebs, it’s worth getting stuck in to clear out those unused items that have been living rent-free for too long. In fact, according to the RAC, Brits are collectively hoarding valuable items to the tune of an eye-watering £15 billion.
Additionally, vertical storage space is worth considering. Shelves can be a great way to maximise more than just your shed’s floor space.
Do shoes belong in the shed?
Not all footwear is created equal. While nice trainers and heels often hold top billing, stored within the house shoe rack or, even more exclusively, the wardrobe, some shoes aren’t afforded the same privileges.
Whether it’s some rather well-worn and muddy hiking boots or the once-in-a-blue-moon welly boots, shoes that only make cameo appearances or are just downright smelly are best kept in the shed.
While the shed is an appropriate storage location, awkwardly sized and shaped footwear like wellies can be irritating to store, and if your shed isn’t up to the task, you may cause your shoes to be damaged or smell worse than they already do!
Using cardboard or shoe boxes, they can keep your boots from harm while keeping out all but the most intrepid creepy crawlies. However, if you just don’t have enough space for the whole family’s shoes, or want easy and regular access, an outdoor shoe rack can provide proper ventilation while shielding them from the worst of the elements.
Storing tools for easy access, visibility and safety
One of the most common issues we see with any storage space or shed is visibility.
Suppose you’ve not carefully considered the running order of your shed. In that case, it can be easy to obscure and lose your items, or simply make them inaccessible without wasting time by moving around many other items.
As tools are one of the most straightforward items to lose in your shed, hanging them up, as you might with pots and pans in your kitchen, is one of the easiest ways to keep sight of them while ensuring they remain undamaged.
Keeping each tool separate by hanging them up is much safer than allowing them to pile up and could save you a trip to A&E!
This can also be applied to hosepipes, which, while perfectly suitable for outdoor storage, will last much longer if stored out of the elements and on a spindle or hook.
The best way to store your bike
Bikes are frequent gold medallists in the ‘awkward-to-store-in-a-shed’ awards.
Cumbersome, with multiple moving parts that can easily get snagged, they can be difficult to remove or put back while blocking other items – this can be frustrating for regular commuting cyclists.
That said, if you’re working with your average, quite pokey shed, it might be more appropriate to create a separate storage space altogether for your bike (especially if you have more than one or are storing family bikes).
If you have a garage, a pulley system can make appropriate use of vertical storage. At the same time, smaller homes may benefit from more eye-catching integrated furniture solutions or a more straightforward bike wall mount.
How to keep toys tidy in the garden
If you have kids in your home, then you’ll know how easy it is for toys of all kids to be strewn to the four winds across your garden, which makes for a bit of an eyesore and a bit of a trip hazard. However, if you’ve been storing them in the shed until now, we’re here to tell you there’s a better way.
Even the safest and most well-thought-out sheds aren’t always safe for children. We can’t have eyes in the back of our heads, so we’d recommend avoiding the shed altogether to avoid any chance of a determined youngster making their way in unsupervised.
As with bikes and shoes, freestanding units can be one of the best ways to give your kids their toy treasure chest! Alternatively, hanging boxes on your fence or a wall can provide an easy-access storage solution that allows kids to take responsibility for their toys.
Local self-storage
If your shed still feels unmanageably full after all the above, we’re here to keep your prized possessions safe until you need them.
This also applies when moving house and living between sheds! Our knowledgeable and friendly staff will help you find the most cost-effective storage option.
Give us a call or pop in to see how we can help you make more of your space.