If you have a great big space for that storage unit or garage you want to build you won’t have to put much thought into it outside of just how big do you go and the final design. On the other hand, if your yard is cut up like a fighter’s face or smaller than a postage stamp, finding a place to build with yard shed plans or place a bought storage shed can be just short of a nightmare.
The first challenge in finding a space that is either square or rectangle in the same measurements that most sheds are built in. But it doesn’t stop there because in many small yards with a lot of gardens and/or trees there are also height restrictions. So you have to have the measurement of the total height along with the type of roof line to see if there is clearance for trees and sometimes fence requirements.
One of the solutions, if you don’t have a large piece of equipment or furniture to store is to build or buy two smaller sheds and place them in different parts of the yard. This can be a great asset if you need some basic storage close to the house for household items such as holiday decorations, seasonal clothing, etc. You can then place another out in the yard or garden areas to hold all of the outdoor equipment and lawn and garden tools. This storage unit is closer to where you will need those things anyway so it makes sense to have a couple of them placed this way.
Another great idea for those places where all the space seems to run vertical with a fence line is to purchase or build a couple of lean-to sheds and back them up to each other. If you buy them you will need to find out if the door on one of them can be reversed so you have the “lean” part going the same way with doors on either end. If you build this type of unit you can modify the wood shed plans to make it easy to walk through it the entire length with only one door or even seal up the ends where the door normally is and place the door on the outside wall. If you do this remember the height will be lower on the outside wall so you may need to compensate for that when storing your items.
There are also ways to place smaller storage tubs outside on decks and patios. People use the Rubbermaid brand of storage bins as small tables and even benches by making cushions that are placed over them for children’s seating. While these are mainly horizontal storage bins there are also a number of vertical storage cabinets that can be placed in small spaces outside on a back porch or decking area.
If you have a deck you can also build storage areas under some wood bench seating or the deck itself. You will need to make sure you can easily access your stored items once placed underneath a structure like this as well as protect them until needed once again.
If you can step back and really look at your space you might just find a bunch of places that are calling out to you to place some type of storage bin or bench. Look around in magazines and books to get additional ideas for maximizing the space you do have instead of lamenting about what you don’t have. You may just surprise yourself!
