If only that were true! Let’s shed some light on the tricky subject of the garden shed. Your shed could be your castle if only it wasn’t full of clutter.
Look Closer
It may seem intimidating, but take a closer look at your garden shed. Don’t just peer into the doorway and run away again; yes that is a giant cobweb, with a malevolent-looking spider posed in the middle of it, but you’ll just have to deal with it. Surely you can’t be afraid of your own shed, how old are you?
Be Brave
Brave the cobwebs, the dust, and the dead leaves and twigs which have somehow taken up residence in your shed, and gaze into the murky depths. What do you see? If you’re staring at an almighty mess, stretching back as far as the eye can see, then your shed is in urgent need of de-cluttering!
Take Massive Action
Removing a few small objects isn’t going to achieve much, you need to take massive action and empty your shed. Pick a sunny day as you don’t want to be interrupted by rain, and a strong wind won’t help your efforts either, as your belongings could sail into next door’s garden.
Once the weather conditions are right then you’ll need some equipment: rubbish bags, a box for charity items, a broom, and a dustpan and brush. It would also be a good idea to wear some old clothes as you will get dirty!
Ready, Steady, Go
It’s time to begin. As your lawn fills up with garden implements, flaking paint pots, broken toys, Enid Blyton-style bicycles, musty carpets, rusty tools, jam jars half full of a murky substance, ancient rodent cages, a dog’s lead and bowl, a cracked aquarium, a non-working lawn mower, and several objects you can’t identify at all, you wonder where it all came from.
You also wonder why everything in your shed seems to be covered with either black oil, or something sticky; just right for the cobwebs to attach themselves to. If it were Halloween you could go trick-or-treating without needing to get changed first!
What Now?
Now you’ve got it all out you need to decide what to do with it all. This should be easy really. Anything broken should be destined for the rubbish pile, anything good but unused should go to charity or be sold, and anything that could be used can be cleaned, and eventually put back into the shed.
While the shed is empty it would be an excellent idea to sweep out all the left over bits and bobs on the floor, along with the dust, cobwebs and dead leaves. Once this little lot has been tipped into the rubbish bag then your shed should be empty of dirt and clutter.
You may be surprised at how large the space now available to you is. Why not maximise this new found square footage and put up some shelves for the pots of paint and other paraphernalia, and hooks for garden tools and hoses. This will leave the floor area free for bicycles, lawn mowers and other large objects; all of which you will now use because you’ve got rid of anything you don’t use… right?
Enjoy Your Castle
Congratulate yourself because you now possess what eludes most people; a clean, tidy and organised garden shed. It will look so lovely now that you may want to place a comfortable wicker chair, and a small rug in there, so that you can sit and admire your tidy shed, and your (hopefully) tidy garden.
Your shed can indeed by your castle now, so sit on your throne (wicker chair) and lord it over your chattels (garden tools), waving royally to your subjects (the birds), and anyone else who might venture into your domain (garden). Your deserve it!
