A Shed Organizer So That You Can Find What You Want, When You Want

A shed organizer does not have to cost you a lot of money. If you have old furniture sitting in your basement that you swear you're going to get rid of one day, put it to good use. If you have your shed designed in such a way that the long wall contains the doorway, you'll find getting your organization tools in and out of it much easier. If you have rafters, use it to store things, even if the shed is your garden office. There is no sense in wasting the space, right?

Organizing a traditional tool shed

A traditional shed is the one that you envision with all of the gardening tools in it. It contains everything you need to weed the garden, prune the hedges, trim the flowers and mow the yard. You could go with traditional gardening tool organizers if you wanted to, such as wheeled racks that can be rolled around the garden with all your tools in one place, or you can go a less expensive route by utilizing that old furniture in your basement. You can even utilize second hand furniture that you find at the local Oxfam for your shed.

• The drawers of an old dresser or kitchen cabinet give you plenty of space to keep small tools in.
• Jam jars work well to store things like nails and other odds and ends.
• Old filing cabinets can be utilized for storing bulbs and plant seeds in addition to any information you need on them.
• An old umbrella stand can be used to hold your long handle garden tools.

If you prefer to spend the money on the quality of the shed and don't mind recycling some furniture, then you have a treasure trove of options available.

Organizing a workshop

The same type of items can be used for a small workshop and they can provide you with ample working space if you do not want to invest in an expensive workbench. Keep in mind however that used furniture may not be able to stand the pressure of having some of your tools anchored to it, thereby making them better for storage than construction work.

A handmade, hardwood workbench is the ideal solution a second choice would be a Black & Decker Workmate type workbench. A Workmate, while not quite as pretty offers you a bench that is sturdy enough to anchor your larger power tools to and can be foldedaway when not in use.

Add some shelves and some jars with your nails, tacks, and other supplies, and you are ready to use your tool workshop whenever you want.

Organizing your garden shed office

A garden office is the perfect place to recycle some old furniture if your shed is big enough to accommodate more than just a desk, a chair and a cabinet for your papers.

If you have a large enough shed (which if you designed the shed to be an office you should) you could conceivably have a small sofa, your desk, a filing cabinet, and other organizing equipment to keep everything filed and at hand.

Shelves and a book case are something else you may want to have handy as well, as they are great for not only holding books and other supplies, but a small desk fan or radio as well.

Useful tips for all types of sheds

Whether it's a workshop, an office, or a place to store your garden tools, the walls are the place to store your tools in place neatly and within easy reach. For an office, a peg board can be used to hold mini shelves, hang your radio speakers on - you get the idea. A peg board is one of those items that you do so much with and it really helps organize whatever you decide to use it for.

Plastic drawers and large totes, usually found in the same department of your local department store, provide you with plenty of space for odds and ends. You can keep everything from nails to paint brushes to computer printer cartridges in them and since they stack up neatly, plaster a label on the outside of the tote with its contents and you'll know where everything is stored without having to stop and go searching for the item you need.

Whatever you do, don't lose sight of the big picture. Using some easy to use 3D software that I review here will make having an untidy shed a thing of the past.