How do you store your gardening tools?

[Annette]

We are trying to figure out a better system for storing our tools and gardening supplies etc. in our small garden shed which is 2.9m x 1.9m and I would love to know how other members store their tools etc. Do you use a brilliant storage solution to help make my gardening life much easier?

As shown below, our garden shed currently houses garden tools, lawn mower, lawn edger, hedge trimmer, fertilisers, snail bait etc., nuts and bolts etc., saw horses, large Christmas tree (in that cardboard box), and general odds and sods. The opening has a central double sliding door.

The cupboards in our house are very organised so I would like to apply the same principle to our poor old garden shed.

Any suggestions on a more efficient system would be greatly appreciated. If you have photos of your well organised shed or garage all the better - as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words. 

Please HELP !!!!!!!!

[Annette]

Thanks @Andy_Mann - your suggestions are great. The blue shelves are quite deep (they used to store architectural plans) and we plan to ditch them in favour of narrow shelving. Unfortunately it's not possible to roll the lawn mower into the bottom section as there is a bottom shelf which is about 4 inches off the ground.

On top of the cardboard box are some tarps, carpet underlay and shadecloth. I plan to get rid of the majority of the underlay, just keeping a small amount for various purposes. I thought that if I fold then roll the tarps and shadecloth instead of just folding them I could store them inside sections of large diameter PVC pipe stored vertically.

The large cardboard box houses my large 8 foot Christmas tree which unfortunately has no other place to be stored. 

I thought we could tidy up the tools by maybe placing them upside down in some sort of bracket system along the side wall - that way it would save on floor space. At the moment, I have to shimmy the lawn mower out of the way to get to other items in the shed.

I will also get rid of the metal garbage bin which just holds odds and sods and is taking up precious floor space.

It gets stinking hot in this garden shed in Summer so this project is going to take a while. I will do a little bit at a time and only at the cooler times of the day. When I have finished I will post "after" shots

[Annette]

@MartyH - I already store my green tomato stakes and bamboo stakes in lengths of PVC pipe and store them vertically outside - it is very efficient for keeping these items tidy and out of the way.

[Andy_Mann]

@Annette, I just saw your reply to @Jason where you use wheelie bins for Blood n Bone, & Sugar Cane, with another planned for Vermiculite, & that sounds ideal. My waist height ledge suggestion can be put to sleep.

In your reply to me you planned to ditch the deep shelved blue cabinet, but I'd wait on that, sometimes deeper shelves can come in handy. They're ideal for deep pull out compartment boxes, which make sorting/finding many items a breeze.

OK, the big cardboard (Christmas tree) box is a hurdle, but it's a keeper, & there's probably nowhere else to put it. Hmmm, that's where I'd planned to park the mower.

The tarp, carpet underlay & shadecloth could be folded & put in the blue cabinet, which would make them easily accessed. Rolling them up together would be a pain, & even worse if you needed one of them. If you do plan to roll things up, I often use these:

Lashing straps

I just had another thought, those lashing straps could be useful for the Christmas tree, they'd easily/conveniently compress the foliage, meaning you may be able to store it in a smaller container, or area.

I take it you want to gain floor space by bundling spades, shovels etc upside down, it's a great idea, & again, lashing straps could be good as they're easily loosened off for when you want to remove tools as you need, then nipped up to hold them all together in a compact form again.

I agree about putting odds & sods in bins, they soon become a shabbles, so that galv rubbish needs to go.

OK, all I've I've cost you is a coupla lashing straps, & it only gets better from here. Put word out that you'de like an electric, or battery operated mower for Christmas, you'll be able to hang it off of the wall, gaining you even more floor space.

The petrol mower can rust away alongside the family heritage (can't think of the word) pushie, & be a great talking point.

[Annette]

@Andy_Mann - when you say "lashing straps" do you mean occy straps? Or do you mean the webbing type like a car seat belt?

Delete reference to my question about lashing straps - I've just clicked on the link for lashing straps - Duhhh ! 

[Andy_Mann]

@Annette, it's all good.

I prefer lashing straps anyway, as you can easily tension them up, & the clasp automatically holds it at that tightness.

[Andy_Mann]

A YouTube find from Better Homes and Gardens:

DIY shelving

Something a bit complicated, but able to adapt to your needs:

French cleat system

[Annette]

@Andy_Mann - I saw the storage system on Better Homes and Gardens some years ago and thought it was brilliant. I can see this working in our garden shed. I will show it to Hubby and see if he can do it for me. 

I LOVE the french cleat system - so simple but oh so brilliant - I could see this system working so well not only in tool sheds but also in nearly every room in the house. If Hubby doesn't want to do something like this even on a small scale I think I will have to sign myself up for a woodworking class.  

[Andy_Mann]

@Annette, I'm glad you like the suggestions, & I just thought of a way to make french cleats easily, how about using:

Cheat's French cleats

Now head out to Bunnies in the morning & get your @She_Skills on.

[Annette]

I will have to wait for the french cleats - Hubby left this afternoon to go trout fishing this weekend. Hopefully we will be having trout for dinner on Sunday night. 

[Andy_Mann]

That's even better @Annette, you get to put your feet up today. Hubby prepares & cooks trout, then waits on you tomorrow.