With a small shed and a stack load of gardening tools and bits and bobs to find space for, and only a basic shelving unit to put everything on (that is already pretty overloaded), my shed always seems to be cluttered and overcrowded, and I can never find what I’m looking for.
So, what exactly has solved my storage woes? The humble bungee cord is the answer, namely a set of assorted bungee cords, £8.99, from Screwfix, and I’ve been putting them up left, right and centre. My shed has never looked so tidy.
I’m always on the lookout for clever shed storage ideas, so when I saw this genius shed storage hack that requires minimal DIY skills and costs next to nothing to put together, I was ready for it.
The set I bought includes several different sizes, from long to short, which were super-handy. I also used a packet of cup hooks, £2.95 for 10 from Amazon, to secure them with, and the only other equipment needed was a bradawl to make holes, plus some wood screws and a screwdriver.
And best of all, they can be adapted in lots of different ways, depending on what your storage dilemma is and what it is you want to tidy away.
Bungee cords are stretchy ropes, used to secure loads or things like tarpaulin and work by stretching and providing tension, with hooks at each end that create a fixing.
When it comes to garden shed storage ideas, bungee cords are a brilliant space-saver, enabling you to make use of wall space or awkward areas that might otherwise go to waste. All you need are some hooks to attach the bungee cords to, and you’re set.
Here are the many ways I've been using them in my small shed.
Garden tool tidy
The useful thing about many garden sheds (when it comes to bungee cords) is the timber panelled walls that are supported by upright battens. The space in between the battens can be used to slot in garden tools, with a couple of bungee cords stretched across to keep everything in place.
This tool tidy area is super-handy, with all my go-to garden tools in one spot, so they are easy to grab. I’ve divided the wall into two areas, one section for tall tools like rakes, hoes and loppers, the second section for shorter tools like forks and spades.
I screwed hooks into the battens at both ends of the wall, plus the centre batten, and then used two long bungee cords, one at the bottom and one midway, with a shorter bungee higher up to keep the taller tools in place.
Corner slot-in
The corners of garden sheds often get neglected and left to gather dust and cobwebs. Instead of wasting the space, I’ve used the corner of my shed to create a holding area for all the random tall items that I never know where to put, such as bits of wood, poles, bamboo and plant supports.
All it needed was two short bungee cords and some hooks, with the bungees stretched taut at an angle across the corner. It’s a great way of keeping everything in place and together and still easily accessible.
Cushion catcher
Finding somewhere to stash the outdoor cushions of my garden sofa overnight or when it rains has always been tricky. They are big and bulky and take up a fair bit of space just thrown in the shed. Using the wall space to store them upright, with bungee cords to keep them in place, is a game-changer. The cushions can be slotted in and taken out easily, and they take up minimal floor space in the shed.
All it took to create was two of the longer bungee cords with four hooks (two at the top, two at the bottom). There was a roof batten that I could screw the top two into, and then I just added a short length of timber screwed into the floor to secure the bottom set of hooks.
Roof roll-up
Another area in the shed that is underutilised is the ceiling space. There are some brilliant bungee cord ideas that use them stretched across the roof battens to create overhead storage for bulky tarpaulins and seat cushions.
I’ve made use of the area above the shed door (just under the roof) to store squashy rolled-up items, like picnic blankets and tarpaulins, which keeps them out of the way until they’re needed. All it took was two short bungee cords fixed vertically with a couple of hooks at the ends. Brilliant.
Alternative bungee cord picks
These bungee cords come in five different sizes to solve all your garden shed storage problems.
This stretchy bungee cord net makes a great storage idea for large and bulky items like garden cushions.
This stretchy panel is designed for a camper van but would work brilliantly in a shed to keep garden essentials contained.
My shed is looking so much tidier now, with everything organised and easy to access. Will you be trying any of these storage ideas or coming up with your own solutions using bungee cords?
