It wasn’t too long ago that I was visiting with a friend at his house and as we entered the kitchen, I smelled gasoline and it wasn’t just a hint of gasoline either.  After asking him about it he told me their lawnmower was stolen earlier in the spring out of their yard and since they don’t want the same thing to happen to the new one, they are storing it in the basement.

We went down to the basement and not only was the lawnmower there, but there were two full gas cans!  Well, he’s my friend and I decided right then and there if he is doing something this dangerous, I bet some of you are doing it too.  Because we don’t see or hear about gas exploding in people’s homes doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen.  In fact, there are injuries and even death every year due to fires caused by the improper use of gas containers and/or equipment the uses gas.

The bottom line is if you can small gas, those fumes can be lit by a spark, static electricity or any type of open flame; including your pilot light!  The cost of a cheap shed to store these items in is nothing compared to the cost of loosing a life.  Think about it and be smart!

Who says that a garden shed has to be boring?  Someone shared this book site with us, and we thought it exemplified exactly what an outdoor shed can be.

First of all, it is not a shanty where you throw and store junk.  It a thoughtful peice of architecture, treasured and kept.  In a backyard space, it would not be an eyesore, rather it would be afocal point, and a backdrop for a flowerbed or garden plot.  We just want to see more of this kind of outdoor storage building.  Thanks for sharing it with us!

The holiday season is not only the time for parties and entertainment it is a great time to get organized.  After all, you have to move those decorations in and out of your storage units anyway, whether that be a shed, a basement or just closets throughout your home.  Anytime you are forced to go and get anything out of your storage area and it takes you more than a few minutes to find it and remove it, you have an organization issue.

There are plenty of shelves, bins and organizational systems that you can buy but the main question is; do you have space to store those items or are you just stuffing more and more into less and less available space?  Before you invest in the organizational systems, you may want to invest in getting some additional space either through off property solutions like a secured storage space or an on site solution with a utility shed of the appropriate size.  The bottom line is do it now while you’re having to go through your holiday decorations and save yourself time later.

Every do-it-yourselfer knows that there are some things you have to do before you ever start a project.  As much as you know that to be true, let’s face it, there are times we just dive in.  However, if you want to build a shed, that is not the type of project that you can always dive in and get away with the results.  With that said, here are seven questions that will need to be answered before building a storage building or shed.

• Find out from your local building or planning department if you need a permit?
• What is your purpose for the new storage shed?
• How big should it be? Think in terms of how big it should be, not how big it could be. 
• Where should I place my storage unit?
• What type of foundation is best for the location and use of the new shed?
• What style and materials should I use to build it?
• How much will it cost or how much can I afford to spend?

Once you have the answers nailed down, then dive in and have a great time building your new storage building.

Whether you build a wooden shed yourself or purchase a shed kit will depend on how comfortable you are with building a structure and how much experience you have. There are many tutorials available online, in books and magazines and in home building supply stores to help you through the process. 

You may save yourself some money by building the shed yourself, but you may forget some of the materials you will need and have to make multiple trips to the store, or you may not get some of the parts of the shed to fit correctly and have to redo them. 

Kits, on the other hand, come with very good instructions, and the good ones come with a complete materials list and detailed drawings.  However, it really does depend on how comfortable you are with building the foundation and shed to begin with.  You can also do a comparison in price between purchasing a shed kit and purchasing materials individually and purchasing a shed already assembled that can be delivered to the site.  This can be relatively expensive but it is an option.

For many people, the most difficult part of building a storage shed is not the actual construction but the organization of the shed itself. Many people are at a loss when it comes to figuring out the best way to put their tools and equipment in the space. Thankfully, you can organize your storage space inexpensively instead of having to buy expensive storage items.

For those looking to organize your tools, building a tool storage area instead of buying a tool chest can save you tons of money. This can be accomplished through the creation of a hand-built workbench with storage or a custom built rack and drawer system. Constructing these items with supplies from a local warehouse store can be cheap and makes a perfect weekend project.

For the other major organizational issue with a shed – random storage clutter that overflows from the house – one of the best ways to clean up this storage space is through the building of wall mounted shelving. Cheap and effective, thee shelves can be placed out of the way of your storage space for other items and can utilize the overhead and higher space that is typically wasted within a shed.

Several years ago my wife and I decided we lived in a house that was just too big for two people.  It was a 2400 square ft home with a half basement where I stored all my tools and lawn equipment.  We decided to sell the home and rent a house and see if we could live smaller.

So we found a house that was 1800 square ft and rented it for 1 year.  What we found out was it too was just to large for us.  We never went into one of the bedrooms, the dining room or another small living area.  However, this house did have 1 car garage where I stored my lawn equipment and tools.

At the end of that year we decided to go ahead and look for a smaller home and buy again, which we did.  What we realized after we bought our present house is it is a great size for us.  We utilize all the space but we had one major problem.  Since there was neither a garage nor a basement, there was no place to store the lawn equipment or tools.  The answer was a storage unit and we have never looked back.

Many shed owners build their storage space and then forget about the outward appearance of their pride and joy. Many times, this is directly a result of the owner not caring about the appearance or spending too much time inside of the shed. However, one of the best ways to ensure your shed will withstand severe weathering and stay upright for a long period of time, aside from solid construction, is proper weather treating.

To this end, one of the best ways to weather treat your wooden shed is to use an external wood treatment that can be purchased from your local hardware store along with a finish that is also formulated to be weatherproof. Using these two products in concert can help reinforce the natural wood grain, allowing your wood to be able to stand up to rains and winds without compromising the integrity of your shed. As an added bonus, the treatment process takes only an afternoon in most cases, and can provide structural support and keep your shed in great exterior shape for up to a year without any other external wood treatments.

Many people who need outdoor storage on a budget but hate the idea of buying a shed kit and raising one themselves or building one from scratch have a great option available for their outdoor storage needs: The hard plastic storage shed. These sheds, built by a number of well known manufacturers, replace the pressure treated wood of many sheds with a hard coated plastic that can withstand natural weathering for a longer period than some wood sheds.

Choosing a plastic or vinyl shed can be a bit confusing, given some of the dimensions and options available. Many plastic sheds have storage and organizers built in, which can help simplify arranging your items in the shed. Many also have electrical inputs so you can wire them up and use your powered equipment inside. A few even have dual paned windows and wooden doors to give some sense of the shed being natural.

Plastic sheds come in a variety of colors, some natural, some not as much. The designs of these sheds work to optimize the space contained within while preserving the basic storage needs of the buyer. Pricewise, plastic sheds are less expensive than comparable wooden sheds, and can be a great option for the new shed buyer. Shop around, and you might find a plastic shed to be the storage option that fits your needs.

I’m a guy.  I’m a guy with a lot of tools and equipment and I also own 2 vehicles.  I’m a guy with a one car garage and we all know who gets to park in the garage, and it’s not me.  So what’s a guy to do when the garage is just not big enough for all the tools and equipment?

You either make sacrifices, choices or a combination of both.  You can leave the tools and equipment exposed to the elements and watch them rust away.  You can sell the tools and a quarter or less their value only to buy them brand new when you need them again.  You can house them in a spare room in the house and hope your wife or partner understands that you have a relationship with your things and you all need some space.  Or you can bite the bullet and get a storage unit just for your stuff.

I chose the storage unit for several reasons:

• I needed space for my things to stay dry
• I needed space to work on my things
• I needed space that was all mine

Now I’m a happy guy who has his tools and equipment locked away safely in their own special shed.  Now about my truck…I’m working on that one!