Over the past couple of weeks, temperatures have dropped at night, and as the weather continues to turn, it’s (unfortunately) time to start thinking about closing up the cottage. Even if your place is fully winterized, you’ll need to start stowing all of your summer stuff. And while it may seem like a chore now, organizing your storage shed or boathouse before winter is sure to make life easier come spring—especially if you take a few hints from DIY mag, The Family Handyman. Their great post on garage organization provides tons of tips, perfect for packing away items like umbrellas and lawn chairs. As an added bonus, all of their projects are simple, and if they can’t be made with construction scraps or old things laying around the cottage, they’re incredibly low-cost, too.
Shovels, rakes, paddles—the list of long-handled tools and toys at the cottage could go on. But their shape also means they’re perfect for storing using the simple method pictured above. If you’re low on hooks, try hanging your stuff up using some old garden hose. All you need to do is cut the hose into 7-inch lengths, slit the pieces open, and nail them to the wall—three simple steps to no longer tripping over yourself every time you try to retrieve something.
Among other great DIY ideas, the site also provides instructions on how to keep your lawn chairs out of the way using just a few small pieces of scrap lumber. And, if you happen to have any exposed wall studs in your storage area, they’re the perfect place to fasten these brackets.
One more creative creation worth mentioning is this PVC pipe rack (pictured left.) It’s perfect for putting away those bulky, long or awkward cottage items like waterskis and boards. Bolted to the ceiling joists so that the rack can support heavy loads, its smooth surface also adds ease to loading and unloading things.
Head to The Family Handyman‘s website for more interesting storage tips.
To learn more about how to efficiently and effectively close up your cottage this year, check out our articles on how to close up the cottage in two days, what to take and what to leave, and five essential things to do before you take off.
