This past weekend my husband and I started getting our yard ready for fall and winter. It was a gorgeous weekend—so I was in search of a project that I could do while spending time outside. Organizing the garden tool shed in our backyard was the perfect choice. It was a fun and rewarding project. Well, except for that moment when there was a really huge spider crawling on my arm. THAT was exciting (and embarrassing) but by no means fun.

But, enough about spiders. Want to see a photo?

Tool shed

We purchased this tool shed a few years ago (from Target) at a time when it seemed like the kid’s outdoor toys were getting incredibly large and plentiful. It’s an interesting thing about added storage— it fills up quickly! You begin to wonder how you ever lived with out your new storage. Our shed is just like that. Now it is the home for gardening items like flower pots, a watering can, gardening tools and gloves, and the sprinkler, as well as other backyard items like the hammock, a fountain, citronella oil lamps and the fire pit. (It is apparently also the home to a spider or two.)

The first step was to empty out the shed and group like items together. I also went around the yard and emptied out most of the flower pots, keeping just one pot out for a potted mum. I’m at that point of the season where I’m just a bit over it all…and having just one pot to attend to is, well, plenty. I cleaned out the pots and washed the gardening tools, figuring I’d be really pleased with my self next spring when it was time to plant again and everything was already clean. And I also hosed down the shed itself. Next, it was time to fill it back up. For storage, I used some of the items that also needed to be stored, which meant all the storage was free.

Clay pots as storage
Two clay pots filled with sand hold gardening tools.

Garden tools
A third clay pot holds gardening gloves.

Garden gloves

A tall clay pot holds outdoor candle holders, and…

Candle holders in pot

…a galvanized bucket holds hummingbird food.

Bucket

I nested empty pots to make the most of the available space…and grouped like items together to create zones. One of my primary goals was to use the vertical space as much as possible, and to make the fire pit and hammock easily accessible, since hopefully we’ll put these two items to use this fall.

 Tool shed

All in all, it was a fun little project, and even though I don’t use or see this space all too much—it feels good to have it done. Organizing is like that you know, every little step forward feels good and energizes you to do more. And getting the outdoor projects done, means I can turn my attention inside and finish up a few decorating projects before the holidays hit. Woohoo!

What’s on your fall to-do list? Will you be doing any outdoor organizing in your garden shed or garage? Do you have any decorating projects on your to-do list? I’d love to hear what you have planned for fall. Thanks for sharing!!