If you are looking to free up some space at home and the garage is already so crammed with odds and ends, gardening equipment and other stuff that’s in the manner but you don’t want to actually throw it out then a storage shed may be the ideal solution.

With downloadable storage shed plans readily available from the web it is worthwhile looking into building your own and it’s not as hard as you may think; it’s an effective way of saving money and a satisfying project to carry out.

Here are some tips to help with the project:

First do a search online for downloadable storage shed plans, don’t bother with the single sets of plans, you will get hold of whole sets of shed plans that also include other projects such as garden furniture and so forth. These plans cost half the single sets with plans working out at just a few cents each.

Next decide where you are going to put your new shed, bear in mind the position of doors and windows, also make sure that it will look good with regards to your house and not block the wife’s favorite sun bathing spot!

The worst thing about gardening in my opinion is not my weedy garden, or a bed that needs replanting, but rather the fear I have about entering my cluttered dingy garden shed. What makes it worse is the last minute fall pile-in of tools, pots, extra bags of dirt, muddy hoses, etc. If a well ordered garden shed is conducive to efficient weeding, then I have to admit to less than perfect gardening efficiency.

A disorganized shed is simply an impediment to getting outside chores done. We all are prone to procrastination. The thought of dragging various items out of the shed to get access to the long handled clippers almost makes you want to turn the TV on. If you have trouble getting to your outside chores perhaps your messy garden shed is playing a role.

The first thing you need to do to get things organized is to clear out the shed. Everything will get dragged out into the backyard. Make 3 piles – 1) most used things, 2) useful things you never use, and 3) broken or useless things. Those three piles at the end of the reorganization will be 1) fixed, shined up, and put back, 2) given away, and 3) thrown out.

Custom built garden sheds are enjoying a bit of a renaissance. I’m not sure what the trigger was but we are being contacted regularly by customers that are looking something a little extra when it comes to their garden shed. The old ubiquitous stand by sheds that are sold by the dozens in hardware stores don’t seem to be cutting it this year.

Homeowners who are shopping for garden sheds this year are looking for something to make a statement, something to continue their landscaping theme, or a shed which custom fits their backyard hobby. The simple shed-in-a-box with four walls a roof, and a window with nail on shutters is no longer sufficient.

Some of my clients want to make their garden shed into a design element that carries on an old English garden cottage theme, some want a rustic hunting lodge theme, others are looking for a zen garden contemporary style. On the other end of the scale are clients who want to install a totally green eco shed, made with recycled materials, and customized to take advantage of all off-grid components possible – a solar panel and backup batter to run the lights, and a multi barrel rain water system to collect runoff from the sheds roof and gutter system.

Not all garden shed designs have the kind of information that will help make your job easy when building your own garden shed. But there are some things you should know which will help you evaluate which plans are of better quality.

You will of course need multiple plans to help you decide which type of garden shed fits your taste as well as budget. It should include a ‘deluxe shed plan’ which gives you the prints for vinyl siding and trim. It should also include the economy version which gives you the wood siding version.

If the garden shed plans are lacking in any of these areas- easy to read building plans, complete materials list, full size rafter templates, door and window framing instructions, then you may want to pass and look at other prints. And by having the full size rafter template the hardest part of building a shed just became easier. The rafter template can just be traced on to the rafters to make the cutting job much easier. This eliminates the mistakes in trying to read a framing square.