Last Updated on December 5, 2023 by Kimberly Crawford
Leaving your garden tools outdoors, regardless of the season, is a terrible idea. Outside, metal can rust much faster, and wooden supplies can fade or rot because of harsh conditions. It’s best to organize them neatly in a cool, dry location where they remain in good shape and capable of serving you for years.
Store them in the tiny space you have at home, like the garage or shed. But if you are out of space, you can rent a storage unit near you to protect gardening supplies and equipment against unforgiving conditions.
Whether it’s power equipment, such as leaf blowers, or garden supplies, like bags of fertilizer, organizing them in a storage unit ensures you keep them safe when not in use and easily retrieve them when needed.
Below, you will discover best practices for storing gardening supplies and equipment. The tips will help you keep everything organized to save space and easily find a tool or supply when needed.
Storing Lawn and Garden Tools
Tools with Engines
Gasoline-powered tools like lawnmowers, edgers, and leaf blowers should be stored carefully. Like many items, gasoline has a short shelf life. Its components can break down (destabilize) when stored for several months. Powering a garden machine with destabilized gasoline can damage your expensive equipment.
For this reason, it’s best practice to empty the gas tank before storage. Once you’ve drained gasoline into a container, add a fuel stabilizer to preserve the gas for future use. Battery-powered tools should be disconnected from the power source to avoid drainage.
Once finished, store the tools in a cool, dry place within the storage unit. Gasoline is a fire hazard, so don’t store it in the unit.
Long-Handled Tools
It’s easy to trip in a garage or shed cluttered with rakes, shovels, brooms, and spades. The best way to organize them neatly is to fit them into a mount on the shed or garage wall. Nails, metal hooks, or dowels can ensure long-handled garden tools hang nicely and tidily on the wall.
Alternatively, you can use a storage rack for long-handled garden tools if your storage unit has enough floor space. Place the rack where you easily reach the equipment you use most.
Small Hand Tools
Pieces of garden equipment, such as trowels, shears, pruners, gardening gloves, and weed pullers, can quickly pile up and be tricky to keep nicely organized. Luckily, they can easily fit in a storage bin and stay together until they are needed again.
Storing Gardening Supplies
Fertilizer and Potting Soil
Half-used sacs of potting soil and fertilizer can be space wasters if not stored properly. Instead of piling the sacs in a corner in the storage unit, there’s another way to keep them well organized:
Store your garden supply in buckets, which have several advantages. First, they are stackable and can neatly fit on the shelf to save on space and enhance the tidiness of the storage unit. Second, buckets with tight-fitting lids can contain foul odor from fertilizer and dust from the potting soil.
Some commercial fertilizers contain highly volatile compounds, like ammonium nitrate, that can cause explosions and fires when ignited. Ensure you store them far away from ignition sources.
Gardening Chemicals
Garden chemicals like weed killers and pesticides should be stored safely on lockable cabinets in a well-ventilated storage unit. Ensure you follow all storage instructions on the label.
As a best practice, always store the chemicals in their original containers. The original container is designed to protect the chemical from contamination and is made of materials that can withstand the chemical.
In addition, never store lawn and gardening chemicals near animal feeds or medical supplies. That way, you prevent the risk of contamination and avoid the possibility of confusing the chemicals— for example, using chemical A instead of B.
Storing Patio Furniture
Moisture from rain, ice, or snow can make your patio furniture rust, rot or bend, depending on the material. Harsh sunlight can also cause the furniture to fade. Keeping it safely in a storage unit protects it from harsh elements and can make it last longer.
Before storing your patio furniture, thoroughly clean the cushions and wipe down the other surfaces to remove dust and any accumulated outdoor dirt. Then, stack your furniture—chairs on top of one another—to save on space, especially if you’re storing in small areas like a garage or shed.
A well-organized storage space reduces clutter and provides more room for other things, including your car. (If you use the garage.) It also keeps your gardening supplies and equipment safe when not in use and makes it easy to find them when needed.
