Anyone else have a garage, basement, or storage space that looks like this? There's hope: Marji was fed up with the clutter in her tool shed, and she decided to first purge and then create a clever system that works for her.
From Marji:
As you can see, our tool shed was an unbelievable, disorganized mess. On one sunny spring weekend, I took everything out of that shed and laid it out on the driveway, purged and then built holders from PVC pipe scraps to hold the garden tools in a neat and orderly fashion. The project was done within the one weekend, and the good news is today, several seasons later, it looks just as organized as the day I finished. The true test of an organizational project is if it helps keep you organized. This one passes.
For more photos and details, check out Marji's blog, Ashbee Design.
Thanks, Marji!
Have your own Before & After project you'd like to share with the editors? Submit it here.
(Images: Marji Roy)
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Love it!
This is SO going to happen in my shed this spring.
The PVC tool holders are such a good idea!
Wow! What a great idea! We have a summer kitchen where we rent. I'm always struggling with all the shovels and rakes. This is great! Kudos!!
"The true test of an organizational project is if it helps keep you organized."
Yes. This is one to keep in mind as the spring cleaning itch hits...
Fabulous!
So simple but I would have never thought of it myself. Great idea!
Nicely done. The hardest part about keeping a space like this organized is the rush to get things done and stowed before the snow flies in my climate. I end up tossing things willy nilly into my shed in order to get the jobs over with. Then in the Spring I'm disheartened because the shed is such a freaking mess. Personal self control, ignoring that voice that says "you may need this in the Spring" and knowing how this happens goes a long way to keeping the shed tidy year round.
BRILLIANT!
Bravo! Great job.
The PVC pipe holders are genius. I'm totally going to do this.
I agree. Genius idea. I can see that working in my garage.
I think the best part might be the bricks as bases to keep the handles in place. Smart! I like it!
The place where I store my long-handled tools has a low ceiling, so this wouldn't work for me, but it's really brilliant.
What I did was get long lag bolts and put them in the wall so that they stick out far enough to hold the shovels, etc.
Great idea to label! It always helps.
Great job!
do you have to pull up the tools pretty high to get it out?
I don't think you need the taped on labeling for each, simplify.
Hello Kitty, at first I thought that labels weren't necessary, but perhaps Marji has to occasionally ask someone to fetch the transplanting shovel, and the fetcher doesn't know what a transplanting shovel looks like. Labels would help there. Also, if Marji lends out her tools, she can quickly see if one is missing. Most of all, she's had this system for a couple of years, so she must prefer it to having no labels.
Add a 3rd Hoe and you'd have a Green Giant® commercial.
For those with low ceilings (like me!) perhaps one could cut a slit in the top pvc holder so that you could pull out the tool or push it into place when done. It would act kind of like a clip maybe.
Maybe I am just being a grump but the vinyl tool holders don't actually seem to be doing such a great job. Part of the reason you hang tools is to keep them off the floor, but the PVC is too wide to do that, so the tools' ends are resting on bricks. I think using wooden cleats (made out of scrap wood) similar to this might have been easier:
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQyDuJz-Ft-wQZAuKDgLmcXgQT0lr7Vkc-kO5d1GhlMyJNGPKgSWw
I've seen stuff like this in many people's garages in my city. Seems to work great. There's also the whole "PVC is a toxic nightmare" issue.
Lovely organization job though.