More homeowners employ practical ways to add storage space in their houses, without spending too much on renovation or without having to move to a larger home. One economical way to do this is to build outdoor sheds. With an outdoor storage, you can free up living space in your home so you can store some of your more important material possessions.
Your garage shed can be multi-purpose. Depending on the size, anything can go into it which you do not want to keep inside the house. You can use it to store not only your garden tools and implements, but other stuff such as power and hand tools, small vehicles (bikes, motorcycles, sleds), holiday decorations, children’s toys, outdoor furniture such as garden tables and chairs, camping and beach equipment, and many others.
Put your shed in order
In some households, anything that cannot be kept nor has no space inside the house goes to the outdoor storage area. Whilst this is not an entirely wrong habit, there are proper ways to maximise the use of your outdoor shed. For its optimum use, you have to keep it organised. You may have put things in it which you no longer need or which are too broken to be fixed. In this case, these things must definitely go.
Whilst it is not a part of your living quarters, a garage shed is still a component of your entire property. Thus, it is proper to keep it clean and clutter-free. You may remember storing something in it but have a difficulty finding it due to the clutter.
By keeping your shed clean and in order, you won’t have to waste time looking for a tool or equipment you need.
The following tips can help you declutter your shed.
Outdoor shed decluttering tips
Pull out everything
The first thing you have to do to declutter your shed is to empty it of all stuff. Check first what you have accumulated inside. Every member of your household could have just dumped anything in it for future use.
Make an inventory
When everything is out in your lawn and clearly visible to you, you can now decide what to keep and what to dispose of. Make four inventories categorised as follows: what goes back to the shed, what you can sell, what you can give away or donate to charity, and what should go to the trash bin and ultimately, a landfill.
Clean and put your stuff back in the proper order
Once you have made the piles of inventories, you can now do more sorting and cleaning. Sort the stuff you want to put back inside and put together similar stuff like auto care and garden tools. Check and properly clean each item if necessary. The mower may still have grass and dirt stuck to it. Stray tools can be put back in their tool box or protective covers.
On the other hand, you can lace the stuff for selling or for giving away (to friends or charity) in properly labelled storage bins and packing cartons. This way, you’ll know where each item is kept once you are ready to haul them out.
Put items to be discarded in trash bins and trash bags for proper disposal, especially those that contain toxic substances.
Clean the shed
Once you are done with your inventories, you are ready to put back the things into your outdoor shed. But before that, you have to make sure the entire shed is clean inside-out. Simply sweeping the floor may not be enough. Check and clean every nook and cranny, including windows, corners, and doors. There may be loose floorboards, leaking water sources, a leaky roof, or visible openings large enough where rodents and other pests can enter. Repair broken parts immediately.
Eliminate pesky pests
Pests are pesky and can damage the stuff stored in your outdoor shed. Eliminate them without causing harm to your household. Get rid of paper, rags, or even piles of wood carelessly placed inside the shed, which can entice pests to use them as breeding ground. Likewise, be sure to dry mouldy and wet corners that are ideal habitats for crawling insects.
Put everything back in their designated places
Your garage shed is now ready to welcome back your stuff. Maximise the use not only of the floor space, but the entire shed including its walls. Put more shelves and racks or use storage plastic bins to hold different items. You can use hooks and pegs mounted on your shed walls to hang some of your equipment and tools. Make sure that anything hanging on the walls will not accidentally fall on somebody’s head. Likewise, put harmful stuff away from children’s reach.
You can designate specific places inside the shed for each member of your family so that they do not have to look all around to find stuff like gardening tools and craft supplies for mum or sporting gears and equipment (bats, sticks, balls and hockey sets) for the kids. This will also prevent things from getting messy when you are in a hurry to pull things out of the garage shed. You can easily find anything without turning the area upside down.
Keep the shed well-maintained
It is easier to maintain a neatly arranged and clean shed. However, you should do regular checks to keep it that way. Inspect it at least twice year to determine if things are still in order and kept in their proper places.
Conclusion
You do not have to remodel or renovate your house to create more storage space. You can opt for ready-made, easy-to-assemble, and affordable outdoor sheds. Once you have built your outdoor storage, you should never neglect it. It should be properly maintained so that it can serve your purpose for a long time.
If you are ready to shop for a shed, you can visit EasyShed and seek our advice on your best option among the various models available. EasyShed is Australia’s leading seller of pre-made, easy-to-assemble sheds. We guarantee that you will get your money’s worth. Contact us today!
