We all need some DIY shed shelving ideas to get our garden shed organized. So here's a compilation of some of the best shed storage ideas for hand tools, etc to help you create extra space.
I haven't always been organized. Believe it or not, my shed flood space used to be complete chaos (see below) and nothing was within arm's reach.
Easy access wasn't a thing and I'd have to haphazardly step over things. And of course, because nothing had a dedicated home, nothing was within easy reach.
Eventually, I got frustrated with myself. And one day, the first thing I did was remove everything and created an organization system with a little creativity. So let's explore them to help you have an organized shed!
Jump to:
- 1. London Brackets
- 2. Adjustable Shelves
- 3. Wooden Shelves
- 4. Metal Racking
- 5. Upcycled Drill Rack
- 6. Moveable Shelf
- 7. Tool Hangers for Garden Tools
- 8. Ceiling Storage
- 9. Underside of a Shelf
- 10. French Cleat System
- 11. Silicone Tube Storage
- 12. DIY Folding Shelves
- 13. Shelving for Flammables
- 14. Magnetic Strips
- 15. Mounted Jars
- 16. Tape Measure Storage
- 17. Above the Garage Door
- 18. Plywood Shelving Unit
- 19. Hidden Shed Floor Storage
- 20. Shelves Between Studs
- 21. Drawer Organizers
- ➕ More Ideas
- 💡Tips
- ❓FAQ
- 💬 Comments
1. London Brackets
Utilizing your wall space is key in a shed. A great option for beginners is to pre-drill and screw metal L-shaped London brackets to the studs, which come in different sizes.
Whether you need small shelves or larger ones, the white ones from Screwfix are incredibly strong and they've never bent on us, no matter how much we put on them.
And the wood on the shelf can be anything that's flat, like old doors, sheets of OSB, or even strips of wood.
2. Adjustable Shelves
A good idea if you're not quite sure about your shed wall configuration yet is Twin Slot Shelving.
Similar to above, this open shelving comes in different sizes for smaller items or larger ones.
They're also super sturdy (I often store offcuts of wood on mine) and it's a great idea for an ever-changing outdoor shed.
3. Wooden Shelves
One of my favorite storage shelves is made using plywood offcuts. These triangular corner pieces are offcuts from a plywood cable reel factory, I highly recommend giving your local one a call!
All you need to do is screw one on the side of your shed's stud (or one on either side if your plywood is thinner plus an extra stud) and screw another piece on the side.
Then you can drill and screw the new side piece to the top shelf so they don't move. And the best part is that these can be completely free using offcuts!
4. Metal Racking
An easy way for anyone with little to no DIY experience is something like BigDug shelving.
Here, Charlie DIYte shows you how to install this flat-packed rapid racking solution for his open fronted storage containers. These are great for organising small pieces.
Note, they're not cheap brand new, but can often be picked up secondhand as we did off Gumtree. Alernatively, you might like to opt for wire shelving.
5. Upcycled Drill Rack
One of my favourite tool racks started out as an old CD shelf mounted to my workshop shed wall.
All you need to do is cut notches in the bottom for them to slot in. Then once you've added some drill dividers, just screw to the shed studs.
The compartments above also offer a great way to store the battery packs and it did not cost me a penny! See the full project in action here.
6. Moveable Shelf
One of the first woodworking projects I built was this easy DIY workbench with a bottom shelf. This is great if you need storage solutions on wheels with brakes.
It's also super versatile to use for a potting bench and the shelf area could home a store wicker basket for seed packets and the like. No need to pay Garden Trading prices!
You could even treat it to use in an outdoor space. I've used it in many sheds and love how it's not fixed to one room.
7. Tool Hangers for Garden Tools
A good option for garden equipment like spades, etc is these sturdy hooks. They're cheap and often come in a pack.
Its upside-down U-shaped design means all you need to do is screw the wall hooks to your shed and instantly store your garden items.
You could even store other lawn tools such as your garden hose.
8. Ceiling Storage
A top tip for storing seasonal items like Christmas trees, sports equipment, etc, is to store them in places you don't need frequent access to.
And you'll get extra storage space if your shed has Apex roof rafters.
I'll also use this ceiling space to store spare ladders, extendable paint rollers, broom handles, and many more.
9. Underside of a Shelf
Whether it's a shelf or workbench, I like to suspend these Trofast drawers underneath to store small items that I can't find a home.
Because they have a lip, you can create easy drawer runners by cutting a rebate or recess with a router and mount to the underside.
Or simply screw a narrower strip above it to form an l-shape.
10. French Cleat System
A very popular way of storing power tools is making a French cleat bracket, which you can see here in Money Boys Workshop. You can also see me crudely cutting one here for my DIY headboard on a mitre saw.
You'll find lots of people have them in their tool shed. All you need to do is rip timber at a 45-degree angle and mount them to your wall with the angle facing down.
Then build a bespoke housing for each tool, say for a circular saw, then attach the matching cleat on the back of it. And you can move or slide them around how you see fit.
11. Silicone Tube Storage
If you don't have much space for spray paints, tubes of caulk and silicone, I've found the best way is to screw a piece of wood at 45 degrees and screw it between the studs.
It helps to extend the sides of the studs with deeper pieces of wood to maximise your shed space and now I don't have to rummage in a box.
You can also add large hooks on the sides for caulk guns and push sticks.
12. DIY Folding Shelves
A good use of space if you have a small shed is having the option to fold away a temporary shelf using folding brackets.
Again, this can be done on the studs, whereas I installed mine on my mobile mitre saw stand with wheels.
I bought mine from Amazon, but I highly recommend checking out your local hardware store, like B&Q, etc to see how strong they are for yourself.
13. Shelving for Flammables
When it comes to storing flammables and toxic substances such as paints, weed killer, contact adhesives, and the like, it is recommended to store them in a closed storage unit.
Metal lockers like the ones you find in a home office are great for this and can be found secondhand for much cheaper.
Mine are under lock and key to prevent them from falling out. I also don't recommend storing them on a high shelf as leaks can be more catastrophic (from experience).
14. Magnetic Strips
To free up a lot of space in your toolbox, I highly recommend magnetic strips to hang things you frequently use. These can be mounted to many surfaces.
I hate rummaging in a box for the right size screwdriver. But having them all on show and in size order allows me to quickly pick my best choice for the task at hand.
However, some believe they ruin spanners, etc and can magnetize your tools, which you may need to buy a demagnetizer. I've never had this problem yet.
15. Mounted Jars
Once you've got some great shelves installed, making use of the dead space below each one makes a huge difference!
Instead of using expensive mason jars, ask your friends and family to save jam jars with strong lids.
You can then screw them under the shelf with 2 screws each and store screws, dowels, rawl plugs, and other knickknacks.
16. Tape Measure Storage
For years, my tape measures were all over the place and I was forever losing them!
While making a dedicated tool wall to store items I regularly used, one of my favourite inventions was to mount a strip to the wall with a clearance using deep rubber washers.
This allows me to hook the tape measures on and off with ease.
17. Above the Garage Door
Have a look above your garage door or other specific places to see if there's any dead space you can make use of.
Can you suspend shelves like Will Mosbey where they won't get in the way of any openings?
This simple DIY shelving unit could be great for storage boxes, tool boxes, paint rags and more.
18. Plywood Shelving Unit
If you want to build a shelving cabinet, then Stuart at Proper DIY has you covered for an array of items.
Using a router to create rebates for stronger shelves, it can be fitted in front of your studs and mounted to the wall.
Or for a complete beginner, you could use glue and pocket holes using a Trend or Kreg jig.
19. Hidden Shed Floor Storage
If you have any available space on your shed floor (if your shed is raised) on a platform, you may be able to create secret storage under the boards.
However, if you do cut any boards, you'll also need to add more noggins for extra support.
I would try and do this as a last resort, but I have done it before for a hidden safe.
20. Shelves Between Studs
We all know that shed studs are shallow. But if you screw deeper sheets of material next to them, you can extend what you have.
This allows you to screw deeper shelves for extra storage shed organization.
Above, it allowed me to add several Really Useful Boxes to completely organize screws, nails, and more. Or you can buy a small multi drawers system with plastic bins for small parts.
21. Drawer Organizers
Instead of buying drawer inserts, Andy at Gosforth Handyman shows how you can easily create DIY small parts storage with Stanley SortMasters.
He creates a box housing unit, then installs runners to easily slide them in and out.
They're also easy to carry around on-site without everything falling out and jumbling up.
➕ More Ideas
You can find even MORE shed organization ideas here.
💡Tips
Here are a few more handy shed organization tips to help your tool storage go smoothly!
- Remove everything from your shed if possible and one by one, create a home for them
- Try not to throw offcuts and parts out, because DIY projects you make to organize your tools only need to be functional. They don't need to look pretty.
- Try to give everything a home, otherwise it will always be messy
- Try to add wheels on brakes on storage where possible so you can move them and have a more functional space.
❓FAQ
When is the perfect time to organize your shed?
I recommend organizing your shed from Spring when the weather is milder. Also, pick a dry day as most of your large tools may be on your lawn for long periods of time.
What if I Run out of Space?
If you have no more available space and your floor space is still tight, consider looking at an additional storage building, such as this easy DIY lean-to shed. Alternatively, you might like to see my build shed tutorial.
Is it cheaper to build or buy storage shelves?
If you save enough offcuts, it is much cheaper to build storage than buy it. Just mount them to your shed's studs, and you can have instant shelves.
How can I put up metal shelves in a shed without damaging the walls?
To prevent damage, I personally would build freestanding shelf units. You might also like these plastic shelving units which we've found stronger than we expected.
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