The benefits of spring cleaning are well-known and much eulogised. The existence and popularity of Marie Kondo’s KonMari method is testament to our collective urge to strip away burdensome extras and lead a simpler life. But how can we extend this attitude to the garden?
As most horticulturists know, maintaining a thriving oasis can require a good deal of tools and accoutrements. But, as many will also sympathise with, unless you’re playing with acres of land, tidying away all the attendant necessities – from shears to hoses to seed packets – can begin to have a negative impact on your idyll without the right garden storage in which to arrange it all neatly.
Here, to help with that age-old problem, we round up eleven shed storage ideas so that you can keep your slice of calm as well-organised and restful as possible – whether you opt for DIY storage solutions or for ready-made garden storage boxes. There are, as we outline here, design tricks you can use, as well as plenty of other hacks. These are some of our favourites.
Narrow Storage Shed For Space Saving
For many of us, the dream of having an assortment of outbuildings to store our garden paraphernalia in is destined to remain just that: a fantasy. Besides, a smaller plot has its distinct advantages; it is, after all, more manageable and just as enjoyable. It does, however, pose the problem of exactly what to do about garden tool storage if you don’t want to eat up too much for your precious square footage with a bulky shed.
Enter then the Narrow Shed (£199.99). Available in five colours, from sage green to soft pink, its slimline proportions make it ideal for space saving. At just 77.5cm wide, 179cm tall and 54.2cm deep, it is ideal for storing all the essentials, from watering cans to soil improvers to shovels. Shop it here.
Garden Storage Bench for Comfort and Storage
You can always rely on IKEA to come up with a simple, practical and inexpensive design solution. Useful in any garden, this APPLARO storage bench (£45) particularly comes into its own in smaller spaces, such as on terraces or balconies. Neat, compact and made using Varda wood stain, its 80x41 cm proportions allow it to slip into most spaces, all while looking smart, providing storage for tools and kids’ accoutrements, and doubling up as seating, too. The ideal garden storage bench for dispensing with outdoor clutter. Shop it here.
Wall-Mounted Garden Storage
The garden storage ideas that work best for you depend entirely on the garden you have. For the minimalists among us – or indeed those without a great deal of space to play with – any kind of structure, no matter how neat and compact, will eat too much into precious space. It is worth, then, considering a wall-mounted storage unit or those who are as committed to streamlining their tools as they are their gardens in general. Garden Trading has a great selection to shop; the abiding aesthetic is clean, stylish and smart. Our favourite is the Farringdon Box Shelf (£38), which you can shop here. We love it just as much for indoors, too.
Built-In Wall Storage for your Garden
There is something particularly satisfying about built-in structures, not least for their sturdiness and the fact that they exactly fit a home’s specifications. This idea for a garden storage shed works especially well when used along the side return of the house – which is to say, space that is often redundant anyway. We love the New England-reminiscent clapboard aesthetic, as well as the fact that whilst it is a slim fit, it can still hold a surprising amount of garden accoutrements, including larger items such as lawn mowers. A really smart addition to your outdoor space. Click here to view and read up more about it.
Hidden Storage In Raised Planter
Why buy something that does one job when you could have one that does two? As the world wakes up to the onus on us to provide as much greenery and plant life as possible to help with the climate emergency and attract pollinators, it makes total sense to create a home for garden tools, as well as unsightly bins, that can also function as a planter. This example, as spotted on Pinterest, does the job brilliantly. A fantastic way to make your garden storage work harder and earn its place in your plot – and perfect for prettifying an otherwise functional space.
Storage Crates For A Rustic Look in your Garden
If you’re the kind of gardener who enjoys the traditional country garden look – complete with enamel mugs and waxed garden aprons – then this would make the garden storage box of dreams. These wooden vintage style storage boxes are both decorative and useful which, as William Morris might have eulogised, are the only two considerations worth making when it comes to the things we buy for our homes and gardens. Ideal for storing trowel, secateurs, gloves and the like, they are also highly portable and thus a good companion as you work your way around the borders. And, once put back, they lend an instant classic vibe to your garden shed space. Shop them here.
Pent Garden Store For Simple Decluttering
‘Who says garden storage can't be easy on the eye?’ asks Cuckooland, the manufacturers of this nifty little garden store. Quite. Also, it's great if you don't have a large space. Taking up a footprint of just 178cm x 108cm x 55cm, the relatively small dimensions do not prohibit this structure (£176.95) from accommodating an awful lot of garden equipment. Perfect for storing brooms, spades and strimmers, it can also be a great place for tucking away the family’s wellies too. The tardis-like Forest Garden Pressure Treated Pent Garden Store is a great multi-tasker – and it comes with a fifteen-year guarantee, too. Shop it here.
Seed Storage Box for your Garden
As anyone who can recall their nascent days of gardening will attest, buying seeds with boundless enthusiasm is one thing. Storing them properly without losing or missing their sow-by date is quite another. This Wooden Seed Storage Box (£10) is an ideal and inexpensive way to keep your seeds safe and in good order. Divided into four sections and featuring a number of chambers, it is not only a brilliantly useful thing to buy for yourself but also a thoughtful gift for the gardeners in your life, too. Buy it here.
Outdoor Drawers For Organisation and Design
Who said that filing cabinets and drawers were only for stuffing with your indoor possessions? As evidenced by how much we rely on them in the home, shelving units are useful for tucking away everyday items, ideally in an orderly fashion (we can but aspire to such organisational skills). There’s no reason, then, that they shouldn’t be just as practical when used for outdoor items. The Moreton Shed Unit (£230) is crafted from Spruce in a weather-proof black stain; do use it for storing tools, or why not stock it up with plants that are ready to go into the soil or even to transport your fruit and veg bounty straight to the kitchen? Shop it here.
Peg Board For Simplicity in your Outdoor Storage
Another vote for the ever-brilliant Garden Trading Company and its fantastic Moreton range. We love this Moreton Peg Board for its sublime simplicity. As they instruct: ‘Hang your garden tools in a row or scatter the pegs from different heights. Or why not create an herby display in the greenhouse or kitchen using the wooden shelves?’ Why not, indeed.
Perfect for minimalists or anyone who wants to smarten up their garden shed space, it is also useful for those without sheds to hang up by the back door for easy access to all the necessary tools for a gardening session. Neat. Shop it here.
Arbour With Under-Seat Storage Box
As you’ll have gathered by now, we’re big fans of multi-tasking garden storage solutions. This Dorset Arbour With Storage Box (£309.99) makes a great place to relax with a good book and survey the fruits of your horticultural labours whilst also providing excellent storage – whether for tools or garden games equipment. We love that it can be painted (we’d plump for sage green) and the fact that it support climbers, such as roses or clematis, making it a heavenly scented spot for some al fresco relaxation.
Whilst we may now be able to socialise more freely, the little roof would have come in handy for those wet garden gatherings of early lockdown easing. However, as all Brits know, there will never not be a place for emergency roofs to huddle underneath as summer rain stops play. And then there’s even the possibility that it could even be used as protection from the sun. Now there’s a thought…. Shop it here.
By Nancy Alsop
June 2021
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