Storage Containers for Garden Tools

Commercial Organizers

• Visit any home gardening store and you'll find a vast array of tool organizers. Not all of these products are necessary or useful, but a few can certainly make your job easier. Strips with hooks attach to a shed wall provide a safe place to hang small tools, such as shovels, trowels and weeding forks. Tie a loop of twine through the holes in the tools' handles and hang them on the hooks. Heavy duty strips provide a storage place for shovels, rakes and hoes.

Bins and Baskets

• Store awkwardly shaped tools, such as hand pruning shears and scissors, in a bin or basket on a shelf out of children's reach. Store landscaping pins, stakes and garden labels in individual labeled baskets. Store seed starting trays and old pots lined up on a shelf or in baskets. Use large pots for storage when not in use.

Dowels

• Twine is a gardening necessity for bundling old sticks and leveling flower beds. Store twine on a dowel nailed at an angle into the wall or in funnels nailed to the wall. Place a pair of scissors in the ball of twine for easy access. Attach dowels horizontally between two shelves to store landscaping pins or garden markers. Add small hooks to the dowels to store garden gloves and tools.

Maintenance

• Once everything is organized and labeled, insist that family members return your tools to the rightful place after use. You'll spend less time searching for tools and more time productively working in the garden. Paint shovel handles with a bright color to find them easily in the yard. Brush dirt off tools after each use. At the end of the season, dip the tools in a mixture of sand and car oil to clean. Wipe dry with a soft cloth and sand away any rusty edges with sandpaper.