There’s no better place to store all your gardening tools, bikes, and outdoorsy belongings than a shed. But, during winter months, sheds are often forgotten about which means your storage goods inside can become at risk of damage.
We’ve come up with twelve smart ways you can pack your shed for winter so that you can make the most of your building and keep the items inside protected from the weather!
Our top tips for packing your shed for winter…
1. Protect the building
Before you start packing all your storage in the shed, you need to make sure the shed itself is protected from the weather. Check for leaks, mold and damp on the exterior of the building as well as the roof. You’ll also need to make sure the shed is insulated with proper flooring as window covers to stop condensation. This will keep the building protected during winter months which is extremely important for your possessions inside.
2. Declutter
There’s no better time to get rid of unwanted clutter than when you’re packing your shed for winter. Don’t wait until spring for a clear out, start now and free up some space in the shed. It will make accessing the shed easier and you’ll be able to organise your possessions.
3. Prevent rust
When you’ve decluttered, you should check your garden tools for any sign of rust. If your tools are slightly rusted, use a sandpaper to gently rub it off. You can also make your trowels, trimmer blades and spades last longer by lightly spraying them with a suitable lubricant. This will prevent them from rusting.
4. Use the ceiling space
Boxes don’t have to just be stored in on the floor, you can maximise the use of your shed ceiling by installing overhead racks or fly wood strips which you can use for sliding boxes. This will free up floor space and mean maximise the storage capacity of the gardens shed.
5. Use the wall
The walls in your shed can also be useful for providing storage. You can maximise the vertical storage by adding shelves, hooks, and a pegboard or magnetic rack for your gardening tools. This is especially handy for keeping your smaller tools organised.
6. Install the storage tubes
A clever way of storing pipes or pieces of wood is by using plastic or cardboard tubes. These can be fixed to the ceiling so are completely out of the way.
7. Create dispensers
Another way to add more storage in your shed is by creating dispensers for your bin bags by installing a towel rack. This is a handy way of keeping your she organised. You can also add plastic funnels for storing garden wire and dispense twine.
8. Sharpen tools
You can save money in the long run by sharpening your cutting tools before you put them away for the winter. Over winter, they can become worn after lots of use, so sharpening them will ensure they are fit for use the following summer.
9. Put up hooks, straps, and baskets
A way to keep your tools organised is by attaching hooks, baskets, and straps to the walls and doors. You can store all sorts of gardening items which are different shapes and sizes.
10. Store your bike
Bikes take up quite a lot of space in the shed so by storing your bike efficiently and you can maximise the room for lots more gardening items. Why not hang it the wall instead? Or even a ceiling mount.
11. Stay organised
If you want to be super organised, arrange the items in your shed according to purpose, size or frequency of use. You’ll thank yourself for it when the summer comes.
12. Lock up
This is a simple tip but very important – make sure to lock your shed up. You may have some very valuable possessions inside, so it’s not worth the risk. Buy a secure shed lock.