Transform a garden shed into a storage powerhouse with these makeover ideas for better organization and design.

The prefabricated garden sheds found at most large gardening stores can provide a secure, functional spot to store garden tools—but may not provide the kind of style you’re looking for in your backyard. Use some of these ideas to transform any generic-looking storage shed into something more functional and attractive. Garden storage doesn’t have to be boring—and you definitely don’t want potential buyers ready to make an offer until catching a glimpse of the eyesore in the backyard!

Declutter with style

The shed’s interior makeover focused on creating a garden workspace, keeping garden tools off the floor and adding storage. The stylish face-lift uses color as an organizational guide. The cheerful red paint from the exterior repeats on the inside as blocks of color to map designated spaces to hang rakes, pruners and more. The red hue is paired with soft gray blocks to help differentiate tools. Open shelving above the pegboard builds in a place to stack terra-cotta pots. A flea-market chandelier lights the space with an unexpected sparkle.

Get organized with pegboards

The pegboard sheets are nailed to a framework attached to the studs to ensure there’s enough space between the walls and boards to insert hooks and pegs. To keep the shed organized, tools used for a common purpose are given a dedicated space: bulb planters, bulbs, and bulb food hang within easy reach of each other.

Creative tool storage

Turn metal bins and buckets on their sides to create deep, easy-to-see storage caddies. Brightly painted to coordinate with the shed’s exterior, the yellow bucket acts as an on-the-wall garden hose holder and collects all the nozzles in one place.

Get organized along the wall

Multiple shelves hung from the pegboard triple the amount of space to stash garden boots, compost bins, watering cans, hand tools, soil amendments and more. They also free up floor space to set down items such as a trug packed with herbs harvested from the garden. Leaving a quarter of the wall next to the open shelving free creates vertical space to organize long-handled power tools such as trimmers and edgers.

Colorful storage bins and buckets

A red-painted bucket filled with hand tools and a knee rest becomes a portable carrier for quick planting. Its cherry-red color not only coordinates with the shed’s color scheme but also is easy to spot in the garden. The painted wooden bins next to the tool bucket include chalkboard insets that allow for quick labeling and relabeling as the contents change. These wooden bins also feature built-in handles that make them easy to pull off the shelf.

Vintage tool organizers

Flea-market finds, including sap buckets, turn into fun, cheap tool organizers. Sap buckets are an especially smart storage solution for long-handled hand tools.

Bargain storage tips

Repurposed napkin holders and a vintage tin pitcher add style and function to the shed’s interior door space for little cash. Use them to keep hand pruners and insect repellent within easy reach of the garden.

Before: Prefab shed seeks storage solutions

A humble mail-order shed needs a makeover to become a backyard organizing star.

After: Storage makeover

This outdoor shed went from prefab to fabulous with a makeover that adds a garden potting bench and shelving to organize pots, soil, tools and more. A soft gray-blue paint coordinates the outdoor shed with the house, while the cheerful indigo trim gives the shed a splash of color. A blue stain was applied to the deck and the shed’s floor to match the trim. Decorative trim and sconces give the exterior a custom look.

Custom storage ideas

This shed gets its custom look from beaded-board paneling that’s been nailed to the studs and painted a crisp white. The ceiling is augmented with false trusses and covered with a coat of zippy green to give the formerly industrial-looking building a cottage feel. An aluminum shelving system builds in storage for pots, planters, and garden tools. An old chandelier—sanded then primed and painted with metal-designated products to match the ceiling—casts extra light over the workspace and creates a festive mood during outdoor parties.

Closet shelving goes outdoors

The adjustable closet shelving system works as well in a shed as in the house. It takes the clutter out of storing garden tools and planters. The open shelves also make the shed feel brighter and more spacious.

Galvanized bins corral essentials

Durable enough to stand up to the elements but light enough to be portable, galvanized containers simplify storing bags of soil and amendments. They can also be transformed into contemporary planters by drilling drainage holes in the bottoms. Look for galvanized bins, pails, trash cans, tubs and watering cans at home-and-garden centers. Clear plastic inserts divide the multipurpose aluminum shelving system into compartments so items such as garden boots stay separate from the plants.

 

© Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

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