We recently added several DIY organization solutions in our new shed – all of which we completed in just one weekend! So today we’re going to show you all of the shed storage ideas we implemented in here, along with a few favorites from other storage spaces we’ve organized. Here’s what we’ll cover in this post:
- Installing a pegboard
- Building heavy-duty shed shelves
- Creating a scrap wood organizer
- Organizing nails, screws, and other small fasteners
- Storing DIY project supplies
- Hanging garden tools
- Adding a workbench
Planning Your Shed Organization
Organizing a shed can be overwhelming, especially when you want to cram a lot of different functions into the space. Even though our new shed is pretty large (12×16′), we still had to be thoughtful about the best use of each wall. Ultimately we decided to write a list of:
- The functions it needed to serve (namely workspace)
- The problems we wanted to solve (namely overflowing storage in our garage)
This helped us prioritize the storage solutions we needed to create and then we simply just worked through our list. Whatever didn’t make it into the shed could just stay in the garage. So here’s what we ended up adding:
#1: A Collapsible Workbench
Our top priority was a work table for DIY projects. We were tired of getting sawdust all over the garage every time we cut wood. So the very first thing I did was buy a collapsible workbench from Home Depot. Our model is no longer sold, but this adjustable workbench would do the trick too.
I wanted something easily movable/collapsible, in case I want to rearrange things or need to break it down for extra floor space. I also liked this model because of the lower shelf and the additional storage space it offered.
#2: Clear Storage Bins
For some of my DIY project supplies, I bought some clear 12-gallon storage bins (these are another bin option). Although solid-colored bins would’ve been more aesthetially pleasing, I opted for clear bins so that I could easily see what’s inside each without having to pull them out or rely on labels.
The clear storage bins on the shelf are sorted by project – tiling supplies in one, plumbing & irrigation stuff in another, and painting stuff in a third. The bins are a simple, no fuss way to contain everything and also make it easy to carry all of the necessary tools whenever I’m working on a tiling, plumbing, or painting project.
#3: Pegboard For Small Tools
Pegboards are one of my favorite ways to organize shed stuff like hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers, and a whole slew of other small tools. We had one in my old workshop, so I was excited to add another pegboard here. They may be cliche, but they’re both visually appealing and a super functional organizational system.
I hung three 2×4′ simple pegboard panels using screws and washers right into the exposed studs. Then I used my pack existing pack of pegboard hooks and clips to hang everything. I even used some of the space above the pegboards to stash sanding blocks, tubs of wood filler, and other un-hangables.
Pegboard are also are great storage system if you’re someone who has trouble staying organized. Once the upfront work is done, it’s easy to keep everything in its place and (more importantly) tell when something is out of place or missing.
Some people go as far as to outline or label the pegboards to help them remember what goes where, but I find it easier to just take a picture to keep on my phone. Or you can print it out to keep nearby!
#4: Paint & Frame Your Pegboard
If painting outlines is too much for you too, another easy way to dress up a pegboard is to paint the whole thing. We did this in our old basement workshop, giving the pegboards a coat of navy blue paint (Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore) to make them look a little bit more custom-looking. We also took the time to frame the edges with window molding to make them look more polished. You can read more about dressing up our pegboard in this post.
You can also see that we turned one pegboard into a decorative photo display. You’ll never believe what we used for the picture frames!
#5: Scrap Wood Organizer
Scrap wood was one of the big organization issues we had in our garage, so creating a system for storing it in our shed was a high priority. I started by bringing all of my scrap wood into the shed to assess how much I needed to organize.
Most of the scrap wood storage systems I found on Pinterest were very elaborate (it spins! it folds out!) but I wanted to keep it simple. I also wanted to use as much scrap wood as possible to build it. I did buy a few new 2×4″s for stability, but I otherwise I didn’t buy lumber to corral my existing lumber.
We’ve got a step-by-step building guide for this scrap wood storage system and it’s way easier than it looks. It’s got vertical sections for my long boards, a low cubby for my small plywood panels, and even a flexible area on the end for larger sheets.
It may not be the prettiest scrap wood organizer on the Internet, but it does the trick!
#6: Heavy Duty Shelves
Next up on the to-do list was some heavy-duty shelving. You know, something that would stand up to the weight of bigger tools (more than your typical plastic or wire garage shelf). We followed this tutorial to create these SUPER easy garage shelves. It’s literally the most foolproof DIY step-by-step ever and one of our favorite shed storage ideas on this list.
All it takes is some 2×4″s, plywood (I used scrap again), and a good level. This process is also super adaptable to any space – be it garage, basement, or shed. We even replicated and adapted it in our beach house shed a few months later.
If you want some more easy DIY shelf ideas for other parts of your home, we’ve rounded up over a dozen of them!
#7: Large Hanging Bike Hooks
Since we used those beach shed shelves for leftover tile, paint, and infrequently needed items, we decided to take advantage of the front of the shelves too. So we screwed in some large rubber hooks to maximize the organization. They’re sometimes called bike hooks, but they’re good for more than just bikes.
We used the hooks on the shelves to hang beach gear, like our beach chairs and beach umbrellas.
And on another wall, we used bike hooks to hang lawn equipment like our leaf blower and string trimmer. Even our ladder hung nicely on a couple of big hooks!
#8: Screws / Nails For Hanging
Hanging stuff doesn’t have to involve buying new fancy hooks though. Whenever possible, we also just rely on a simple screw or nail too. You can see how in our beach house shed we hung more yard equipment – like our rake, clipper, tree trimmer, and more – by just drilling a single screw into a stud.
It may take some time to figure the best arrangement of things, but why waste time or money on special hangers when the simple solution does the trick?
#9: Mason Jar Small Part Storage
When it comes to storing small items like nails and screws, one classic way to corral these is in small mason jars. It feels like a very nostalgic way to organize your fasteners, which is why we used it in our old basement workshop. We even took the time to add labels and spray-paint some of the lids to customize how they looked.
These especially made sense in this workshop because it had an existing shelf installed that was the perfect size.
#10: Wall-Mounted Small Part Shelving
In my new shed, I decided to take a more modern approach to small part organizing.
I brought all of the drawers into the shed so I could see my stash all in one place. I bought three styles of plastic, small part organizers from the store (slide-out, tip-out, and portable). They were each less than $20 and offered slightly different size and configuration options (spoiler alert: I ended up returning the one laying on the floor because I just didn’t need it).
The two hanging options came with keyhole cut out on the back, so it was easy to hang them onto my exposed studs. I didn’t label anything because I’ve found that I don’t keep up with labels (or as I once heard someone say: “I’m a Millennial, I don’t like labels.“). But having the clear compartment at eye level made it easy to see exactly what was in each cubby.
I also like the small gray compartments because they can be removed all the way, so we can take the appropriate container of screws over to our workspace if need be.
Want More Shed Storage Ideas?
If you’re looking for more ideas for organizing your shed, garage, or basement, check out how we organized our beach house shed, our old garage, and our former basement workshop.
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