Organizers Want You to Toss These Backyard Shed Items
It's time to free up that much-needed outdoor space.
Now that spring is here, it's the ideal time to declutter your backyard shed. "Purging unused items or damaged tools and equipment now can make the outdoor shed not only more spacious and efficient, but also easier to use and maintain," says Dana Jordan, a professional organizer and the owner of So Naturally Neat.
The backyard shed can quickly become a place where old gardening tools, half-used paint cans, and materials left over from past DIY projects land—and never leave. Things pile up and get dusty—or worse, expire—before they're forgotten altogether during the long winter months. Now that spring is officially in full swing, it's time to get in declutter-mode.
"Decluttering your outdoor shed during this time of the year will allow you to get more organized and start the outdoor season prepared, with less stress and clutter," Jordan says. Ahead, professional organizers share the top 10 things to throw out in your backyard shed to get your outdoor space summer-ready.
Old Gardening Tools
If you have old, broken, or unused gardening tools in your backyard shed, Christian Pfeiffer, a professional organizer and the owner of Valley Organizing, says it's time to toss and replace them. "We often save tools we might use one day but if they are old, chances are you are going to want something new," Pfeiffer says.
Expired Products
"Most pesticides, fertilizers, and garden food have a shelf life of three to five years," says Martha-Carol Stewart, a professional organizer and the founder of Chaos Organizing. Get rid of expired items and if the labels are faded, Stewart says the product must go! "If you don’t know what it is and you haven't used it in three to five years, you definitely don’t need it," she says.
Dried Out Paint
Take Pfeiffer's advises throwing out paint that's expired, dried out, or no longer matches anything. If you're only holding onto the paint cans to remember the names of the various shades you've used, the organizer has a better method: "I suggest taking pictures of all the current color codes and saving them in a specific folder on your phone."
Defective Lawn Equipment
Damaged lawn equipment is another top item to remove from your shed. "Maybe the mower, edger, or weed eater has been broken for a while, and the intention was to get it fixed, but instead it has stayed broken and takes up prime real estate in the shed," Jordan shares. The reality is that if it wasn't fixed last year, chances are it won't get fixed this year either. "Junk removal companies can help if you're unable to take the larger equipment away yourself," the organizer adds.
Materials Left Over From Past House Projects
Declutter your backyard shed by throwing out excess house materials such as tile, grout, and wood planks that you've been holding onto "just in case". If it's left over from past projects with no future use planned, Pfeiffer says it's time to let it go. "I'd suggest keeping a handful of tiles but not any excess materials!"
RELATED: 10 "Just In Case" Things Pro Organizers Want You to Ditch
Damaged Hoses and Ropes
While you're going through the backyard shed, get rid of any garden hoses that are damaged or leak, as well as any dry rotted ropes. "These items collect easily in crates and in corners going completely unnoticed," Jordan says. Tossing them now will save you the frustration later when you go to use the items only to find they are damaged and need to be replaced.
Flower Pots That Have Gone Unused
"I can't tell you how many sheds I've opened where there's a stack of old flower pots sitting in the corner, many of them cracked or never used," Jordan says. If you have a collection of flower pots sitting in your shed, the organizer recommends getting rid of them to free up valuable space for what you actually need to store in the shed this season. If you're feeling crafty, though, you can reuse them to make everything from a bird bath to plant labels.
RELATED: 7 Surprising Uses for Old Flower Pots Around Your Home
Old Extension Cords
Old extension cords that have piled up and become tangled should make their way out of the shed this season. Heat, humidity, and outdoor pests can damage the cords, causing them to become a potential fire hazard. Homeowners are often surprised to find there's a pile of extension cords, hoses, or ropes taking up room in the shed that could be better used for something else.
Duplicates
Jordan shares that in addition to seeing many backyard sheds filled with broken and rusty tools, there are also lots of duplicates. "The best practice is to keep only tools that are in good working condition," the organizer says. Instead of holding onto old items "just in case" even though you've already purchased new ones, get rid of them. "This makes it so much easier to find what you need quickly and frees up space in both the toolbox and shed," Jordan says.
RELATED: 20 Things Professional Organizers Say You Don't Need Multiples of in Your Home
The Pile of Possibility
Lastly, throw out what Jordan refers to as the pile of possibility. "Most sheds I've worked in contain piles of items such as project materials that haven't been used for their intended purposes—for example, piles of wood, random hardware, also pots with no plants," the organizer says. She suggests assessing what items are being kept for "some day" projects, as you may find those plans are no longer a priority. "You can pare down these piles or purge them completely," Jordan says.
Maria Sabella is a lifestyle writer with a passion for home and interiors — from paint colors and holiday decor to the latest design trends. Her work has appeared in outlets including Better Homes & Gardens, The Spruce, BuzzFeed and Bustle.
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