Posts Tagged 'garden'

At Home’s ‘Save Space’ Series: The Best Zones To Save Space Around The Garden

Monday, September 20th, 2010

Welcome to the fourth installment of at home’s ‘Get Some Space in Your Life’ series with some great advice from leading personal storage experts Big Yellow Self Storage. We’ve already looked at space saving tips for your home in the bedroom and the at home team will be bringing you space saving solutions to help transform your garden.

Although summer has drawn to a close, it’s great to relax and enjoy your garden in the autumn sunshine. There can be a lot of maintenance that needs to be done as well and you might decide to spruce up the design. Your garden is an ideal place for the kids to play and you add years to the life of your tools and furniture by transforming your garden shed before the colder months set in.

Three Space Saving Tips To Transform Your Garden

Shed Storage
If you have a lot of tools that seem to be taking over, you might want to consider a storage shed. A dedicated home for all of your tools with built in storage racks and cabinets can help ease tensions at home. You can be creative with tool storage and build your own cabinets but there are also many simple storage ideas that will help you keep your tools in good condition and ready when you need them.

If you have the space, a storage rack can keep your tools organised and make it very easy to find what you need effortlessly. To create one of these, all you need is a board which is fitted to a clear wall. Attach various hooks, baskets and mount bars to it to hold your tools in place. With all of the tools hanging in front of you, finding the right piece of equipment only takes seconds.

Alternatively use a cabinet to keep your tools out of sight when not in use. They can also add to your overall storage area in your garage or home as these can give you added depth without clutter being on display. Additional space can be made by installing hooks or bars on the inside of the cabinet doors.

Garden Storage Boxes
Garden storage boxes or cupboards are a great option for gardens with limited space and are very popular because of their ease to set-up. They are made from all weather-proof materials that are light weight and can come in many attractive designs. The storage boxes can be used to store smaller garden items such as tools, children’s toys and seeds.

If you and your family spend a large amount of time out in the garden, horizontal storage boxes can be disguised as garden benches and can be moved around your garden. This will allow you to have plenty of storage space and extra seating around the garden.

Maintaining Your Tools
Before storing your garden tools make sure you scrub off any dirt or mud by using a stick to knock off the large pieces and a wire brush to remove the dirt that is really stuck on. If it is really covered and you’re finding it hard to get it back to its shiny old self, you may need to soak the tool in a bucket of hot water before attempting again. Make sure you wipe off any excess water with an old rag and let it dry thoroughly to prevent any rusting.

When storing you can treat the wooden areas of your tools by sanding any rough or splintery portions with sandpaper and rubbing in wax which is specially made to extend the usage of your equipment. The metal areas of your tools can be treated with lubricating oil which will protect it from rust and ware.

How To Make The Most Of Your Garden Space This Summer

Thursday, August 12th, 2010

The summer is a great time to enjoy your garden, the weather is good and your flowers are blooming. At this time of year there can be a lot of maintenance that needs to be done and you might decide to spruce up the design.

The sites below will provide you with lots of tips and tricks to keep your garden in great condition, regardless of what the size is.

Royal Horticultural Society – a charity founded in 1804 that is dedicated to promoting gardening and horticulture. They’re famous for flower shows which are open to the public but their website offers advice for a novice to the experienced gardener. The site is frequently updated with seasonal tips and handy help along with an online community which features a forum for expert advice.

Gardeners World is the online version of the monthly magazine which is in partnership with the BBC television programme of the same name. It’s a popular programme and has become an established online source offering seasonal advice, practical projects and blog posts which are updated regularly by gardening experts.

Garden Advice has excellent tips on everything from building decking to lawn care. The site has many projects for town, city and country gardens that will inspire you to create a fantastic area.