As we are beckoned out into our gardens but warmer days and brighter mornings it is all too easy to overlook our sheds and workshops in our annual spring garden tidy-up. Most of us have sheds and workshops that accumulate a life time of gardening tools and household. Spring is the ideal time to tidy, organise and prepare our sheds ready for the coming year, and make sure we have everything we need to hand.
Complete clean out:
The first thing to do to prepare your shed and save your frustration is to completely clear everything out of your shed or workshop. It seems a little drastic but this is the best way to start your preparations. Once everything is out you can see exactly what you've got and organize it into appropriate piles. This is also the perfect opportunity to discard, give away or sell any items that are no longer of use, and to repair anything that looks in need of some attention. Pay particular attention to large tools and pieces of machinery, such as lawn mowers. Make sure they're accessible and serviced.
Make sure you assign each collection of items its own section, and that things that are used frequently are easily accessible and those items that are rarely used are tucked away from harms way. By clearing out the shed or workshop completely you should be able to put back the items carefully and plan their locations for maximum ease.
Inside:
Once everything is out, organized and ready for returning, spend some time in the shed itself, checking shelves and hooks to make sure they are all in good repair. Check windows and doors and keep an eye out for any cracks or gaps and make sure these are filled and repaired. It may be that you think you could do with extra shelves or storage, in which case now is the ideal time to add some extra items. It is also a good idea to give the area a hose down or sweep out the floor. This will help keep your shed and workshop clean, and take advantage of the rare occasions when it is empty.
Now is also the perfect time to think about anything that has been missing from inside your work space. Things such as lights, heaters or even a simple coat of paint to brighten up the inside can really effect your being inside the space. If you have the time, funds and/or skills then now is also a good time to think about putting in an electricity supply, a work bench, or adding extra window to the shed or workshop. Think about what the space is lacking and use this time to put those things right.
Outside:
It is not just the inside of your shed or workshop that should get all the attention during your spring clean. The exterior of your shed or workshop should get just as much attention as inside. After the long winter most sheds will welcome a coat a paint or stain to freshen up their wood and protect against the elements. If your shed or workshop is not wood then you can wash it down, clean off dirt and grime and treat it against rust.
Check round the exterior of the building and pay special attention to areas such as guttering, windows and doors and repair any damage that has occurred. It is also worthwhile looking for anything that might see your building as a welcome home: rats, mice, wasps can all nest under or around your shed and workshop. While these are unlikely to damage the building severely, they may not be particularly welcome guests.
As spring announces the arrival of another season this is the time to get out and start to tackle those jobs that winter allows you to ignore. By lavishing some care and attention onto your work building or shed and using some of the tips I suggest above, your shed can become a better and more productive space, without the clutter and discomfort of most workshops and garages
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