Clean and organize your shed in 9 steps

Many sheds are catchalls, simple structures intended to store gardening supplies, lawncare equipment, outdoor furniture and that oversized custom-built cornhole set you bought on Etsy and only used once. They may start out organized, but over time many descend into chaos and clutter. As these systems break down, the filth and grime build up and it becomes an eyesore inside and out. But figuring out a game plan for cleaning it up can feel overwhelming. So, you let it marinate in its disarray, dirtiness and disrepair, telling yourself again and again, “I’ll get to it someday.”

With the calendar still full of sunny days, fall is a great time to “carpe shedem” and tackle this longoverdue project, which will probably only take a weekend or two to complete, depending on how much work there is to do and whether you have a helper. Here are nine simple steps to help you transform your grungy shack packed with bric-abrac into a well-organized, functional space.

1. Call a friend

If cleaning the space feels overwhelming, Meghan Jackson, owner of Joyful Spaces, an organizing business based in Colorado Springs, recommends partnering with a friend. “Offer to exchange helping each other out,” she says. “Having another person will also bring a whole other set of ideas and suggestions to the process, and it’s just a little more fun doing such an arduous task.”

2. Empty and assess

“The first step is to get everything out, so you can see what you have,” says Amy Bloomer, owner of the organizing company Let Your Space Bloom in Lutherville, Md. “This is almost always the most uncomfortable and overwhelming part of the process, but it’s the most necessary.”

Group everything into piles of related items, such as yard tools, gar