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?
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.
Two clay pots filled with sand hold gardening tools.
A third clay pot holds gardening gloves.
A tall clay pot holds outdoor candle holders, and…
…a galvanized bucket holds hummingbird food.
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.
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!!
You have inspired me. I am putting a shed clean-out on my fall list. As soon as it gets below 100 degrees here.
Nicely done! Can I share a suggestion? Buying hummingbird feeder nectar is kind of a waste seeing as all you really need in there is sugar water. 1 cup of sugar to 3-4 cups of water. Hope this helps!
@Michelle, thanks for the tip. Doesn’t the nectar need to be red? Just curious…I thought you had to buy the nectar so it would be colored.
thanks!
Aby
@Vickie, I hope it cools down for you soon. We’ve had a cool down here…and it’s really nice. 🙂
Aby
It looks great!
I agree – I reach a certain point where I am “over” the outdoor garden and one pot of something pretty blooming is plenty 🙂
Nice job on the shed – good tip about grouping like things together. That will make things so much easier next Spring.
You always inspire me! We really need to do a total garage reorg (which would also include all of my pots and other yard items)..We normally do it over the 4th of July and I call it our “freedom from clutter” celebration, but with a new baby in our lives we just did not get it done this year, so this post makes me think this might need to be my next organizing project. The weather has been perfect here, so I am going to make this our weekend project. Thanks for the motivation!
I have 2 small sheds(gardening sheds) behind a bigger shed (lawnmower, snow blower, power washer, metal filing cabinets that house papers we must keep). I took those 2 small gardening sheds and organized the way you did. I did put things like the nectar, seeds, anything mice might eat, in plastic shoe box containers. Have had them for a few yrs, no mice or anything gets in there. I also have lawn chemicals in a big plastic container. Nice in the spring to have everything neatly organized, clean and dry to use right away. I am still using my items here in Chicago area, nice weather still.
@Johnna,
I love the idea of a freedom from clutter celebration!! You’ve inspired me right back. 😉
Aby
Wow, I’d say it was a great job! Congratulations for well organizing your garden tool shed, despite some spider attacks!
great article.. now it is time to go to work
Garden sheds should be organized and cleaned regularly in order to deter insects or pests inside and outside of them.