5 Garden Shed Organisation Hacks

We spend so much time trying to keep the house tidy, and then there’s the garden shed. The place where you put something “just for now” and find it again two years later.

Can you imagine pulling everything out just to find the hammer? Or buying another pair of gardening gloves because you can’t remember where you put the first three? I’ve done it.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to get the shed sorted. Pull out what’s in there, get rid of what you no longer use, and put similar things together. Then try these five ideas to make the space easier to use.

And if you’re choosing a new garden shed, measure the mower, bikes and anything else that has to fit before you choose a size.

You want room for your things and enough space to get to them without climbing over the mower.

1. Wall hooks for your tools

I love this idea. The tools are off the floor, you can actually see them, and you’re far less likely to step on a rake when you go looking for the secateurs.

Start with the things you reach for most. Give the hand trowel, gardening gloves and smaller tools their own spots. A few sturdy hooks might be all you need.

If you also keep the drill and DIY gear in the shed, a wall mounted tool rack has slots for drills and hooks for smaller hand tools. It’s for those fiddly items that usually end up at the bottom of a box; your rakes and shovels will need something sturdier.

Check what your shed wall can support before you start fixing anything to it. Keep sharp tools safely out of children’s reach, too.

2. Pieces of PVC pipe for large tools

Have your brooms, rakes and long-handled shovels formed one big pile in the corner? A few short pieces of PVC pipe fixed to a suitable backing board can give each handle a place to go.

You might already have an offcut lying around. If you do, smooth the cut edges and leave enough room to lift each tool out without knocking the others over. Make sure the board is firmly fixed, and let the heavier ends of the tools rest on the floor.

It’s a simple fix, but being able to grab the rake without the broom falling on you is rather nice.

3. Big clear tubs

I have a HEAP of these tubs. They’re handy for all the smaller things that somehow spread across the entire shed: gloves, plant ties, spare hose fittings, hand tools and the kids’ outdoor toys.

Clear tubs let you see what’s inside, but label them anyway. Somehow the thing you need will always be in the one tub you didn’t check.

If stacking tubs has turned into a balancing act, a metal storage shelf can give them a proper home. Measure the shed and your tubs first, secure the shelf as directed, and keep the heavy ones down low.

One thing I wouldn’t put in a shed is precious photographs or anything else you want to keep forever. Sheds can get hot or damp, and even a tub with a lid can’t promise those things will stay safe. Keep the important keepsakes inside the house.

4. A potting bench with storage underneath

If you’re into gardening, having a spot to repot plants is wonderful. It doesn’t need to look fancy. It needs to be sturdy, a comfortable height, and somewhere you can spill a bit of potting mix without worrying about it.

Keep pots and trays underneath, with your gloves, labels and string in a little container nearby. Otherwise, you’ll spend the first ten minutes of every gardening session looking for the string.

An outdoor storage box bench can hold spare pots, outdoor toys or garden bits outside the shed. Just don’t mistake the lid for a proper potting work surface; use a sturdy table or bench for that job.

Whatever you choose, leave enough space to move around. There’s no joy in a lovely potting corner if you have to squeeze sideways to get through the shed door.

5. Small wheelie bins

Little wheelie bins are great for the messy jobs. Bring one out while you’re weeding, use another for mulch, and wheel it back when you’re finished. I’d label them, especially if more than one person uses the shed. Nobody wants to discover garden waste in the bin they thought was for something else.

I’d also be careful about storing dog food in a garden shed, even though the original article suggested it. Heat, moisture and pests can be a problem. If it has to go there, check the food’s storage instructions and use a suitable sealed container. Keep fertilisers and garden chemicals in their original labelled packaging, secured away from children and pets.

That’s really all the shed needs: a place for the things you actually use, with enough room to find them again. Next time you need the hammer, you shouldn’t have to empty half the shed first.

Do you have a garden shed organisation trick that makes your life easier?

Clare Whitfield Chief Editor

Clare Whitfield is the Editor of Stay at Home Mum and a recognised voice in practical home management for Australian families. Based in the northern suburbs of Sydney, she balances editorial leadership with life as a stay at home mum to two school age children. Her background in home economics and more than a decade of experience in recipe development, family budgeting, and household systems inform her work.

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