How to Get More Storage Space From Your 12 X 16 Shed Plans

A 12×16 shed is a very large shed when compared to other back yard shed plans. There are several ways to get even more storage space from your new shed building project. Most shed organization tips are simple ideas that you have probably heard or maybe even used before. But it helps to plan your shed organizing project before you build. So we have put together a checklist of the many commonly used shed organization techniques.

Get Things Off The Floor

Storing smaller items, and even sometimes large items off the floor is key to a well organized shed. There is nothing worse than not being able to walk into your shed because “everything” is in the way of what you really need. When everything is set on the floor you are essentially creating a pile and piles co not allow you to find much of anything. They also waste a lot of good storage space. Almost all of these storage tips deal with getting stuff off the floors.

Hang Things on the Walls

A great way to get hand tools off the floor or out of a corner is to hang them on the wall of the 12×16 shed. However you do it the point is to create more storage space on the walls of the shed. A 12×16 shed plan has over 400 square feet of wall space. I usually pick a wall that is close to the doors to attach the tool hanging hooks to. This allows easy access for often used tools. There are many tool hanging accessories available at your local home store. These hooks are made for all sorts of things like, bicycles, shovels and rakes, ladders, fishing poles and just about anything else.

Install Shelving and Use Containers

Shelves can be simply made from scrap lumber of purchased from the store and screwed to the wall. Some shelving systems come with little modular bins to hold small items like nuts and bolts or nails. Using a modular sized container allows you to neatly stack them, this maximizes the shelf space.

Build a Work Bench

A 12×16 shed is plenty large enough to have a work bench in. If your shed plans did not include instruction on how to build a work bench there are several free ones on the internet or at your public library. Even if you do not plan on using the shed as a work area a solid work bench will provide storage space off the ground and allow larger tools like a lawnmower to be stored underneath.

Hang Things From The Rafters

There are two ways to hang things from the rafters of a 12×16 shed. First, you can frame a hanging platform. This platform can be in the center of the shed or along the walls, like a large shelf. How far down from the ceiling you hang it depends on what you are storing and how much space you need below it. Look at the things you want to store and how much of the shed you need as work space and then decide how large the hanging shelf needs to be. This type of shelf works best when the shed wall height is 8 feet tall. Then if the shelf is 1 foot to 2 feet down from the ceiling you will still have about 6 feet of headroom. If you don’t want a permanent shelf there are pulley systems designed to lift and store bicycles and car top carriers. There are even small platforms that are attached to pulleys so they can be lifted up close to the ceiling after you have put your things on them.

Whatever your storage techniques it is wise to sit down before building you shed and figuring out how to best organize everything you plan to put into the shed. A little planning will save you years of climbing over things that are haphazardly set on the shed floor and maximize the investment you have made in your storage shed in the first place. So check your 12×16 shed plans to see if any of these storage techniques are included in them. If not you can simply find them or design them yourself and then install them on the walls of your shed.