Your shed can be neglected in the winter. It typically won’t get much use and generally acts as a storage space over the winter months. But now that spring is upon us, we are getting around to the time of year when it is actually very useful to have a well organised and maintained shed. If you find yourself in a position where is difficult to move around your shed or get to anything that you need, it can slow you down with DIY tasks or just enjoying your garden.
That’s why you should take the time to get your shed ready for summer. Here we took at the steps that you need to take to provide yourself with a useful shed that can actually be used for storing DIY tools and garden furniture. It starts off with a clear out and a proper spring clean:
- Clear and clean the shed
Has your shed become little more than a dumping ground? This is actually very common and many people have perfectly good garden sheds that they simply don’t use for anything useful or practical because it is so full up with junk. This is why now is the perfect time to have a good clear out of everything stored inside.
Throw away any rubbish or things that never get used – don’t afraid to be brutal with your decisions. If you haven’t used it for two years, you aren’t going miss it. If practical you should take everything out of your shed so that you can get a good understanding of everything that you have in there. When you’ve taken everything out you can take advantage of the space and give the shed a good clean.
- Check the electrics and inspect for pests
Now that you have an empty shed, you can use the time to check out some of the details that you wouldn’t normally have a chance to deal with. For example, if your shed has electricity it is a great idea to check the wiring and plug points. You should also replace any failed light bulbs and make any changes that you think you’ll be needing to your shed’s electrical supply – after all, now that you’ve got the time, you might as well use it.
It’s also a good idea to check the shed for any signs of pests such as rodents or wasps’ nests. You should fill in any holes that can allow pests to enter too.
- Inspect your tools thoroughly
It’s not just the shed itself that you need to think – it’s also well worth inspecting the contents. Go over the tools to ensure that they are still in good working order. If you haven’t followed instructions for the correct storage of items such as ladders and scaffold towers, they could end up deteriorating faster than you might expect.
Before the summer comes around where you will want to be using your equipment, now is the time to make any repairs or replacements.
- Organise your shed properly
You should have a good think about whether the way that you were storing your equipment in your shed was the most effective. Now is the perfect time to add in a range of different storage solutions. Having plenty of storage can allow you to keep everything much neater and tidier than it was before. This in turn will give you a lot more physical space to use.
Storage can range from cupboards and shelves to even simple hooks on the wall for holding tools. This will really be down to you and your needs.
- Tidy up the exterior
Now that you have dealt with the interior maintenance and sorted out the equipment and items inside the shed, it’s worth thinking about how it looks. Could it do with a little cleaning up and a fresh coat of paint? Your shed may be one of the most visible objects in your garden, so it really is worth taking the time to do it up and make it look nice.
Spend a few hours getting rid of the old paint and applying a fresh coat. It will look great, and really be worth the effort.
Photo via Pixabay
