Organize Your Garden Shed with Upcycling

by Bill and Aby Brooks, REALTORS® 04/25/2021

Image by Rudy and Peter Skitterians from Pixabay

If you're like many busy gardeners, your garden shed isn't as organized as it could be. Perhaps you've been telling yourself for quite some time that you're going to get around to giving it an organizational makeover but run short on inspiration whenever you try to brainstorm a game plan. You've probably got items in and around your home that can easily be repurposed as containers for various garden supplies in your garden shed. Following are just five suggestions and how they can be used. 

Milk Crates

Milk crates make excellent all-purpose containers for a variety of items. Because they're stackable and easily labeled, you can easily customize them to meet your individual needs and preferences. They're good for keeping bottles and boxes of garden chemicals organized. Simply stack them in a corner or along a wall with the labels facing outward.

Bushel Baskets

If you buy fruit in bulk from a local orchard, you probably have a few stray bushel baskets hanging around waiting to be used for something. They're ideal for storing loose potting soil. For instance, when you're cleaning up your hanging baskets, window boxes and other containers after the season is over, you can easily empty the potting soil into bushel baskets so you can use it again in the spring. 

Toy Chests

Have your children outgrown their toy chests? If so, you can use them in your garden shed to store a variety of things. They're good for keeping garden sweaters and gloves handy, and they can also be used as dry storage for seeds. You can even keep a few snacks in them to keep them safe from rodents or bugs. 

Flower Pots and Planters

Keeping a few empty flower pots that you no longer use on hand provides an ideal catch-all place for any stray items that you aren't quite sure what to do with. Think small items such as plant tags, half-full seed packets and even the occasional garden glove that doesn't seem to have a mate can all find temporary homes in an empty flower.

Bookshelves 

If a recent or current home remodeling project leaves you with some stray bookshelves, consider installing them in your garden shed. They're excellent places for storing all sorts of items from boxes or fertilizer to a few gardening books and magazines. Placing one of them as high as possible helps keep dangerous garden chemicals, such as weed killer, out of the reach of curious young minds and hands. 

You'd be surprised at how many ordinary household items can be repurposed for storage in your garden shed. Perhaps the best thing about it is that the creative aspect makes it a fun adventure rather than just another home maintenance chore. 

About the Author
Author

Bill and Aby Brooks, REALTORS®

Aby’s understanding of excellent customer service stems from her extensive professional background. Prior to earning her real estate license in 2005, along with her college degree that focuses on business and engineering, Aby was the head of purchasing, inventory and quality assurance for an OEM medical and aerospace manufacturing company. Known by her clients and fellow realtors for her tenacity, honesty, integrity, and attention to detail, as a full-time realtor, she is also appreciated for her quick response to her client’s needs. Aby has been an avid horse rider and owner since the age of eight, with her husband Billas a local firefighter/EMT they are very active within the community. Bill served as a US Army Airborne Ranger in 75th Ranger Regiment, he is a combat-wounded veteran who was awarded a Purple Heart. Bill's background as facility Manager for an International metals company and as a firefighter/EMT gives him the experience, attention to detail and the desire to go above and beyond to serve his customers. The Brooks' serve on the board of a local non-profit (501c3) that gives back to the veterans, first responders and their families. The Brooks family resides on their small ranch in Manatee County. Aby& Bill excel in all types of real estate and their passion is helping people. “We genuinely like people, growing up in Sarasota and Manatee counties and now raising our own family here, it is an absolute pleasure to share our growing area with newcomers and reminisce with longtime residents. Our area has so much to offer and it is our business to help folks buy and sell their own piece of paradise.”