6 Tips for Decluttering Your Shed

A garden shed is often used as a space to hide your clutter and forgotten about. More often than not, people just build up a collection of old junk in there. With a little bit of patience and organizing, you can actually make real use out of your shed. First, you’ll need to have a bit of a clearout and think about how you can really optimize the space. An organized shed decluttering project is perfect for summer. Here are six tips for decluttering your shed.

Initial clearout

When you’re decluttering inside, the sensible thing to do is to go through everything and decide whether to keep it or not. Apply these rules to your shed too, don’t just overload it with junk you’ve already decluttered from your house and garden. Make a donation box, a box to throw away, and a box to keep, try to make cut-throat decisions.
There are plenty of ways you can get rid of unwanted items without creating unnecessary waste. Sites such as Freecycle work as a platform for you to give away household items for free. The great thing is, someone will come and collect them.

Optimize storage space

Plan realistically what you want to use your shed for. If you need it for tools and other items such as bikes and your lawnmower, rethink the space. Could you remove any old items of furniture such as drawers and units and use the walls for storage instead?

The walls are ideal for hanging items as well. Check out how to make these easy racks. You could put up wide shelves and organize items into categories in boxes so they’re easier to find. Avoid using floor space for storage as much as possible.

Organize your tools

You might have been collecting tools and other equipment over the years without releasing it. Check for duplicates and only keep one set. Group your tools into sets and store them away. This way everything has a place. Be creative, install shelves and hooks for bigger tools. Shed organizing projects are hard work but can be very satisfying.

Go throw all your tools and check they’re in working order. If your tools or the batteries need replacing, you can find more info here. It’s much better to have fewer, better quality tools so make sure you are thorough during your clear out.

Bike and larger items

Do you need to keep old bikes in your shed? Perhaps it’s time to donate or sell a couple if you’re not using them. For the bikes and larger items you plan on keeping, find a place for these first, and plan around them. It will be easier once you know how much floor space you can work with.

Aim to set up areas in your shed, for example, you could use one side to store larger items and the other for working and easily accessible smaller tools. If you want to build a bigger shed altogether, there are plenty of free shed plans online to help you DIY one.

Jars and tins for smaller items

Recycled jars and tins make handy storage containers for things like nails, bolts, and screws. Rather than having different toolboxes lying around on the floor, you could label these and put them up on a shelf out of the way. It’s also a great way to reduce waste.

There are lots of fun household items you could use for storage instead. Have a look at these unique upcycling ideas for inspiration. Get creative when organizing your shed this summer.

Repurpose the space

Perhaps you even want to repurpose your shed and turn it into a game room or living space. Before you start decluttering your shed, have a good think about its purpose and what you want to do with it. You can even add value to your home by turning it into a proper outbuilding.

If you’re serious about renovating your shed, think about how you will add more energy supply and potentially plumbing. You could even install solar panels for a more modern eco-friendly upgrade. These extra additions may be costly at the beginning, but consider them an investment.

Your shed is a very valuable space in your yard. It’s versatile and functional as storage, shelter and has potential for a lot more. Why not take some time this year to finally declutter and make the most of your shed? You’ll be grateful for the extra space and it’s a perfect project for summer.