Organizing Your Garden Shed for Spring and Summer

After a long, dreary winter most of us are rather anxious to get outside in the backyard, breathing in the fresh air again, and preparing the space for the spring and summer months ahead. But, if you're like many people, you have four season's worth of items stored in your garden shed, as well as the usual lawn equipment, and a host of other odds and ends that always seem to migrate here.

Cleaning Out Your Garden Shed

Save yourself plenty of time and frustration by completely reorganizing your garden shed and preparing it for the warmer months to come.

In order to truly clean and organize, and also prepare for the all of the seasons, the first step is to take absolutely everything out of the shed, placing similar items into separate piles. This will allow you to quickly see what may need repaired or replaced, what will need organized and stored, and what should be discarded, donated, or sold.

After you've thrown away any garbage or items broken beyond repair, everything else should be organized into categories such as:

- Bicycles - Garden Supplies - Garden Tools - Holiday Decorations - Non-Gardening Items - Pet Supplies - Pool Equipment - Power Tools - Sports Equipment - Toys

When putting everything back into your garden shed, of course you'll want to keep like items together in groups for easy access. This is also the perfect time to do maintenance on your lawnmower to keep it in tip-top shape for the next few seasons. The blade should be sharpened, the air filter changed, as well as the oil and spark plug changed in gas mowers. Also, have any broken tools repaired, and be sure to make a list of what needs replaced.

Supplies You May Need

In order to have the most organized garden shed possible, you may need to add a few extra items to help make the process a bit easier. Luckily, having the shed already cleaned out makes it far easier to take inventory for determining exactly what you will need. Here are a few handy supplies that you may want to consider:

- Containers: Just about anything can be used as a storage container, in addition to the traditional bins and boxes made for this very purpose. Coffee cans and large glass jars are perfect for storing smaller items such as nails and screws, and both are also easy to label.

- Hanging Hooks: Hooks can be used for keeping hanging pots or other things that can be hung up against the wall of the shed, keeping them out of the way, but also easily accessible. Even bicycles and helmets can be suspended from the wall's of the shed on sturdy hooks.

- Pegboard and Pegs: Besides keeping tools neatly in place, a pegboard is also perfect for hanging up items such as rakes and long garden tools, as well as hoses, rope, and extension cords.

- Shelves: Shelves can be purchased or made from wood, and either mounted on the wall, or used as a free-standing shelving system for bigger sheds. Sturdier shelves should be placed higher for keeping heavier things such as large bottles, toolboxes, containers of infrequently used items, and potting materials.

Preparing Your Garden Shed for the Warmer Months, Both Inside and Out

- Interior Garden Shed Maintenance: The amount and type of interior maintenance you'll need to do will depend on the shed, and how well sealed the door and windows are. For most, a simple sweeping and hosing will do the trick, while others will need more intensive maintenance, or simply repainted. If you do notice any cracks or open spaces, be sure to close them up, as well as putting caulking around any windows and doors if needed.

A fresh coat of paint will do wonders to liven up the inside of even the most utilitarian of garden sheds, as well as installing bright lighting, or if you're feeling extra handy and creative, installing a few sky lights to make use of natural sunlight.

- Exterior Garden Shed Maintenance: Exterior maintenance of your garden shed will also depend on what type of shed it is, and the material it's made from. For vinyl and wooden sheds, power-washing will help get rid of grime that's built up over the winter months, and metal sheds can easily be washed clean with your garden hose and a simple cleaning agent, or even treated with a rust-resistant paint.

Check the shed for any weak spots, or areas that may need repaired after the winter. Also, as soon as spring arrives, you'll also want to be sure you aren't unknowingly housing any wasp or hornet's nests, or other similar pests.

6 Quick and Practical Organization Tips

1. You can create a simple storage container out of scrap pieces of wood for keeping sporting goods or camping equipment all in one place. For extra convenience, add wheels to the bottom of the container to make loading and unloading the car quick and easy.

2. Bins and storage containers are best when they're able to be arranged atop one another, stacked in one area. If possible, always use clear containers that can be labeled so you don't have to look through each one to find what you need.

3. Using inexpensive rain gutters made from either aluminum or vinyl, you can store many different items that would otherwise clutter up the rest of the shed. Mount the gutters high on the walls of the shed, cut to the desired lengths, and use to keep pipes, light pieces of wood strips, molding, or other longer, thin items in one place.

4. In addition to storing similar items in close proximity to one another, you should also organize the shed by season, assigning various areas for fall and winter, as well as another section for spring planting and summer lawn care. This way, you can adopt a system of rotating items throughout the year.

5. If you have the space, a large workbench serves double duty as a place to work, and also for keeping the most commonly used items nearby. Make use of the space underneath the bench for storing boxes and containers near the work area, but without cluttering up its surface.

6. For smaller garden sheds, install a table that folds down for use, and stores flush up against the shed wall. These types of tables are great for when you need a surface to use on occasion, such as when replanting flowers or making small repairs, but don't have the necessary space for a permanent work area.