With the right planning, you can keep your garden shed well organised and everything close at hand.

Looking for some storage tips for a messy garden shed? Then check out this line-up:

All manner of equipment gets stored in sheds, from gardening supplies to mechanical devices like whipper snippers. Add things like workshop equipment, paints and oils and you’ve got a lot of things jostling for position. Make a list of everything you’ll need to keep in your storage shed so you can figure out the best configuration.

Garden sheds are ideal for storing large, bulky equipment, such as lawnmowers, but you don’t want to be constantly moving it to get to smaller items. Place frequently used things closer to the entrance, and consider installing double doors for easier access to all items.

Use partitions to help divide the space inside your garden shed and keep things like gardening supplies separate from kids’ play equipment. Using a range of hooks, shelves and bins can also help to stop your shed becoming one big jumble. These are relatively inexpensive to purchase, or can be improvised using a range of household materials.

If you have toxic or potentially dangerous equipment in your storage shed, such as lawnmower fuel, solvents or weed killer, you should always ensure that the shed is securely locked, especially if you have children. Otherwise you can install plastic or wooden cupboards to keep potentially dangerous items out of tiny hands. Try to choose a shed that has decent ventilation.

Garden sheds are an easy place to store all those unused gadgets and broken household items that can’t find a place in the house. But if you let the clutter build up, it will be difficult to find the things you need, so give your shed a regular clean to ensure that it stays organised. Doing this to coincide with hard rubbish collection days is a great idea.

Leaving rakes, garden forks and shovels leaning in a corner of the shed is an inefficient use of space, particularly in smaller storage or garden sheds. You’re better off hanging them up – this will keep the shed floor free for other items. Your local hardware supplier will have a range of shelving and hook systems for your garden shed.

For your own garden or storage sheds, find a shed supplier in your area.