We’re not trying to hide the fact that we want to start a storage shed revolution! We think every Aussie household could benefit from some outdoor storage. We’re encouraging everyone to take a look at the items in their homes - the extra furniture, the seasonal clothes, the outdated but beloved family heirlooms - and imagine the relief of storing all that clutter in a dedicated shed.
We think every Aussie household needs a shed, and we’re willing to prove it!
The data says we have too much stuff
When surveyed, most Australians admit that they live with a bit of clutter in their homes. This comes from the Choosi Clutter Report from 2017, which asked Aussies from every state how they felt about the clutter in their homes.
The report found that over half of respondents categorized their house as cluttered. Almost 10% felt that they had a home that was extremely cluttered. Only about 26% would consider that their house was free of clutter.
What that means is that just over 73% of Aussies know that they have clutter in their homes. About 33% of those stated that they “couldn’t stand” the amount of clutter they had in their homes.
That tells us that we’ve got a clutter problem, and many of us would like solutions. And, at the same time that Australians admit that they’ve got more items in their house than they need, most don’t have adequate storage options. It’s much more likely for an Aussie household to have a garden than a storage shed - almost 80% of Aussies dedicate a part of their yard to a garden but only 52% have a shed.
It’s also more likely for Australians to have a garage than a shed - almost 70% of households have a garage. And while that may seem like an acceptable storage solution, we’re going to explore how having clutter in a room of the home - even one that may feel disconnected like a garage - can be stressful and unsafe.
Extra clutter isn’t just a nuisance
Okay, so maybe we have some more material things in our homes than we need, but is having clutter in your home really something to worry about?
Unfortunately, yes. Recently, the RACGP reported that clutter can have a negative effect on our brains and our bodies. What the report found was, at the very least, clutter is distracting. Having too many things around can lower our ability to focus. It also gets in the way of our working memory. You might have experienced this if you ever tried to work in a space that was too messy. Maybe the piles of papers were starting to take over your desk, and you had a few too many pens lying around and the cords from your computer were getting in the way. It seems like a little thing, but having too many of these visual distractions can make any meaningful work difficult or impossible.
A good way to think of it is like cooking in an already dirty kitchen. Many of us would much rather roll up our sleeves and get our work area clean before cooking that next meal. Otherwise, we’re having to shuffle dirty dishes around, searching for the clean utensils, and struggling to manage the annoyance.
But it’s not just our productivity that’s at stake. Clutter in our homes has the potential to trigger the release of cortisol, the hormone responsible for stress and the fight-or-flight response. When there’s too much cortisol in the brain, our cognitive process takes a hit.
Over time, the effects of heightened cortisol can be troubling to our bodies and minds. According to Healthdirect, too much cortisol can lead to high blood pressure, weight gain, depression, and other issues.
You may not notice when you walk into a messy room that your brain has triggered a neurochemical response. Instead, you might feel a bit tense or bothered. Or, you might not feel anything at all. But the science is clear - clutter might be chipping away at your mental wellbeing.
Imagine, for instance, that you use your garage as your main storage space. At the end of a long day, you pull your car into your garage and what do you see? A cluttered, overpacked garage. That’s going to set the tone for the rest of your evening, as you walk through the mess and into your home. The first thing you think when you get home shouldn’t be, “I really need to organize this garage, what a mess.” It should be a sense of calm and peacefulness.
With a storage shed, those items are out of sight and out of mind. That way, you can come home, enter your clutter-free space, and feel at peace.
The risks for older folks
Clutter can have particular risks for aging Australians, who are prone to injury from tripping and falling. The Department of Health and Ageing suggests that one way to minimize risk for the elderly in our communities is to help them get rid of the clutter.
Boxes of items on the floor, loose cables, and too much furniture may just look like extra clutter but can actually be dangerous hazards in the home of a person with limited mobility.
Making minimalism practical
If it’s not clear by now, getting rid of clutter can have positive effects on your body and mind. And, it can make your home a more inviting and safer place for everyone. It’s for this reason that many Aussies nowadays are buying into the idea of minimalism.
Practicing minimalism in our homes allows us to give more attention and care to the things in our lives that really matter. Without the clutter, we can pay attention to the people around us and appreciate our most cherished items.
But, one thing that isn’t often talked about when it comes to minimalism is practicality. It’s not reasonable to throw out everything that doesn’t fall into the category of joy or usefulness - family heirlooms, tools that we only use infrequently, clothes or dinnerware for special occasions, and other items that aren’t essential.
If you don’t want to get rid of everything but you still want to practice minimalism and create a clutter-free home, an outdoor shed is the perfect solution. It will allow you to place your non-essential items in a safe outdoor storage area so that you can access them whenever you’d like. That way, when you’re in your home, you’re focused, relaxed and organized without having to sacrifice all of your belongings.
Follow the fashion
Another benefit of having a storage shed is that it allows you to refresh and restyle your home whenever you want. After all, minimalism doesn’t have to be about living in an empty room with nothing more than a bed, a chair and a coffee maker. It means that you can emphasize the items that you want to highlight.
It’s for that reason that minimalism complements interior design so well. With minimalism, you can make the theme of your home very obvious, whether it’s cozy, modern, boho, or something else.
With a storage shed in the backyard, you can design your space to create the home you’ve always wanted. You won’t be bogged down by extra items that don’t particularly match your theme, becuase you’ll have a space for them in your outdoor storage.
Then, when you’re ready for a change, simply head to your outdoor shed to look for inspiration from your stored items. Maybe that old lamp that you curled up next to with a book throughout the winter months can be swapped out for something more chic and modern in summer.
The same goes for seasonal clothes, linens and dinnerware. Don’t let those items sit dormant for months at the back of your closet. Instead, you can store them safely in your outdoor storage and bring them back out when you’re ready to use them again.
You’ll want to keep your items safe and sound, so make sure to learn more about preparing your items for long-term storage.
One thing to remember about your outdoor storage shed
It can be tempting to think of your backyard shed like an extension of that drawer we all have to store loose buttons, pens, scraps of paper, rubber bands - seriously, how did we end up with so many tiny objects? However, you’ll want to resist the urge to throw everything without a home in the backyard shed.
The idea here is that your garden shed can store your items in such a way that they don’t weigh on your mind. If every time you look into your backyard and think, “I really have to get around to clearing that out, maybe I can add it to this weekend’s to-do list,” you haven’t really accomplished the goal. That clutter is still bothering you. It’s just outside.
Instead, there are ways that you can incorporate mindful organization in your outdoor shed so that your items don’t take up mental space. You can read our article with tips to maximize your shed’s storage to make sure the clutter doesn’t pop up again in your backyard shed.
Backyard sheds do more than manage the mess
Alright, let’s say you’re not one of the Aussies who said your house was full of clutter. Maybe you already practice minimalism and your house is spotless. Could you still benefit from a storage shed? Absolutely.
There are so many advantages to having a backyard shed.
For one thing, a storage shed can help you extend your clutter-free mentality into the backyard. By storing gardening items like lawn mowers, patio furniture, hoses, sprinklers, and tools in a shed, your backyard space will look stunning and organized.
And, you don’t have to use that shed for outdoor storage, at all. Instead, you use that backyard shed for a number of things - building a backyard gym, a relaxation room, or a place for you to practice your hobbies. Every Aussie we know has something that they could use an outdoor shed for, whether it’s a place to play music or paint or do yoga or just get away from the world for a while.
1.5m x 0.78m Flat Roof Shed
3.75m x 2.25m Gable Slider Shed
2.25m x 0.78m Narrow Slider Shed
2.25m x 0.78m Off The Wall Shed
3.75m x 7.5m Garage Shed
Use a shed to improve focus
As long as we’re talking about how less clutter can improve focus and encourage mental wellness, we should talk about how a shed can be a productivity booster in itself.
After all, some people would benefit more from having a peaceful getaway shed outside of the home rather than have outdoor storage. Especially if you’re someone who already practices minimalism or you’ve got a room or attic dedicated to storage, your shed can be a place to disconnect, work, rest, practice mindfulness, or any other activity you can think of.
This is the place where you can practice truly clutter-free minimalism. By purchasing a shed, you’re starting with a blank slate. It’s much easier to practice minimalism in this space than in a space that is already filled with clutter.
For instance, if you’re going to be using this space to work and you want to be as productive as possible, you might place a desk, a chair, and only the materials you need. No decorations. No miniature fridge. Nothing to distract you. Just the bare essentials.
Similarly, if you’re going to use the space for relaxation, minimize distractions. You can set up a comfortable reading chair, perhaps, or a meditation pillow. But be careful not to store too many things in your shed. This will encourage you to be intentional about what you’ll do in your shed, like reading a book, writing in a journal, or listening to music, before you go.
Remember, just like clutter can distract and weigh you down inside your home, it can also get in the way of you getting the most from your recreational shed or outdoor workplace.
Every Aussie household needs a shed
We hope that we laid it out pretty clearly - everyone in Australia can use a shed. Whether you’re looking for ways to declutter your home for better focus, want to make your home safer for your elderly loved ones, or just need a space to relax and recharge, a shed is a great choice.
We want to know why you think every Aussie household needs a shed! Tell us about how having a backyard shed has improved your life, and what you might say to friends who are on the fence about getting one.
