10 Insanely Clever Ways to Make Your Tool Shed Usable

At least once a year, you probably clean out your tool shed. What does this mean? I probably means throwing away a bunch of junk that has accumulated in the back. It probably also means taking care of some expensive tools that have been aimlessly tossed aside as if they had no worth. Doesn’t sound like you? Excellent! But for the rest of us relatively average Joes and Janes, there are multiple ways to spruce up your tool shed so it doesn’t get treated like a gigantic junk pile.

10 Insanely Clever Ways to Make Your Tool Shed Usable

1. Motion sensor LED lighting

One of the worst parts about venturing into your tool shed is finding the light switch, or the dusty old string hanging from somewhere within the depths of it. It may break when you pull it, and the light bulb will probably be burned out. Instead of outdated lighting solutions for your tool shed, invest in some motion sensor LED lighting. This way, when you open the doors to your shed, everything will be illuminated. This will eliminate one of the barriers to your entry.

2. Ventilation

Depending on what you store in your tool shed, there could be some toxic chemicals wafting into the air. More likely, there’s a lot of dust and potentially mold if you don’t have enough proper ventilation. You can install ventilation fans or gable vents to alleviate this problem. Not only will it clear the air, but it will reduce some of the heat that accumulates during summer days.

3. Outlets

For some reason, the garage or shop has been deemed the place worthy of all battery chargers. How nice would it be if the place where your battery was located was near the equipment it would run? Put some outlets in your storage shed. You’ll be able to run your shop vac when it comes time to clean, but more importantly, your chargers will remain with their equipment.

4. Door Opener

A door opener is not too fancy for a tool shed, and it can be very nice to have a push-button entrance to the shed when your hands are full. You just want to put away your tools as quickly as possible, right? So make it easy. It also give you a little bit of bragging rights.

5. Hooks

The cement or dirt floor of your tool shed should have very little resting on it. Things need to be lifted, so they don’t attract moisture. Of course, your large equipment like mowers and wheelbarrows will stay down there. But get your ladders and weed eaters out of the way and safely stored by putting them on hooks.

6. Designated Broom and Dust Pan

A lot of home maintenance has to do with convenience. If you have a tool handy, you are more likely to fix things. Same goes with cleaning supplies. Keep a broom and dust pan, maybe even a trash can, in your tool shed, so little messes get cleaned up right away.

7. Skylight/Tube Light

With LED lighting, bulbs rarely burn out, but if you aren’t going to splurge on electricity for your tool shed, put in a sky light, or a tube light if you have an enclosed attic. This ensures comfortable lighting without removing any usable wall space.

8. Attic Storage

If your tool shed is large enough to have an attic, you should see this as extra storage space. Store long items or items you don’t use often up and out of the way, so they are ready when you need them but completely out of the way when you don’t need them.

9. Tool Hanger

Don’t prop your tools against the wall of your tool shed. It is wise to invest in some sort of hanging device for them. This keeps them off of the ground, which reduces their moisture exposure, but it also keeps them organized. Pulling one tool from many leaning up against the wall is a recipe for disorganization and messiness.

10. Personal Touch

Lastly, don’t be afraid to add that personal touch to make your tool shed your own. We know it isn’t the shop that you brag about to your friends, but if you put a little pride into your shed, you won’t neglect it as much. Paint a funny sign to hang over the door, or hang a flower pot by the entrance. Anything that will get you out their maintaining your shed is one step toward a cleaner, more usable tool shed.

Don’t let your tool shed be neglected.

It is easy and understandable that people neglect their tool sheds. After all, they are meant to keep yard equipment out of the way of our REALLY cool shop tools. However, this neglect leads to dirty circumstances, and a shed can become sort of like a garbage dump of tools. Don’t let your shed become or remain this way. Fix it up with a few of these 10 insanely clever ways to make your tool shed usable.