I nearly bought a bigger shed – then realised that wasn’t actually the problem (aff)
This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.
What began as a search for a larger shed turned into a rethink of storage, organisation and workspace. These garage and shed upgrades could make better use of the space you already have.
I nearly bought a bigger shed – then realised that wasn’t actually the problem (aff)
For most of this spring I’ve been vaguely convinced that I need a bigger shed.
It’s not difficult to see why. Every time I open the door, it feels full. Gardening equipment is competing for space with DIY tools, paint tins, bags of compost, extension leads and a collection of bits and pieces that seemed worth keeping at the time.
The obvious solution seemed to be more space. A larger shed. Maybe even one of those garden-room-style buildings that seem to pop up on every home improvement website these days.
Then I started clearing things out.
What quickly became apparent was that the shed wasn’t actually full. It was just badly organised.
Like a lot of people, I’d gradually fallen into the habit of putting things wherever there happened to be room. Tools ended up on top of boxes, boxes ended up in front of shelves, and before long I was moving five things just to reach the one thing I needed.
That’s what sent me down a rabbit hole looking at the wider BiGDUG garage collection, and it made me realise that what I really needed wasn’t a bigger shed. It was a better way of using the one I’ve already got.
The first thing that jumped out was shelving.
My existing setup is a mixture of old cupboards, plastic storage tubs and shelves that have long since exceeded their intended workload. The BiGDUG heavy-duty shelving range looks far more practical, particularly because the units come in different widths and depths, making it easier to build storage around the space available rather than forcing everything into a standard layout.
The more examples of organised workshops and sheds I looked at, the more obvious the solution became. The people who seem to have loads of space aren’t necessarily storing less stuff. They’ve simply stopped storing it on the floor.
Good garage storage ideas are often surprisingly simple. Get things up, get them visible and stop wasting valuable floor space on items that could be stored vertically.
The next thing I noticed was how much of my frustration comes from tools.
Not because I have too many, but because I never seem to know where they are.
A battery charger lives in one corner, a drill in another and the screwdriver I need most often always seems to have disappeared just when I need it.
That’s why the BiGDUG power tool storage rack immediately appealed. It gives drills, batteries and chargers their own dedicated space, which sounds incredibly obvious until you realise how much time you spend looking for them.
For hand tools, I found myself drawn to the BiGDUG tool chest and rollercab, currently £100 ex VAT. I’d always associated rolling tool cabinets with professional workshops, but the more I thought about it, the more I realised they’re really about convenience. If every tool has a designated drawer, you spend less time searching and more time actually getting on with the job.
The other thing my shed currently lacks is any kind of proper workspace.
Every DIY project seems to begin with me trying to create a makeshift workbench from whatever happens to be available at the time. Usually that means balancing something on a storage box and hoping for the best.
The BiGDUG workstation and workbench range feels like the sort of upgrade I’d appreciate every single weekend. Not because it’s exciting, but because it would make every future project easier.
The final revelation came when I started looking at shed and garage makeover projects online.
I hadn’t really given the floor much thought before. Like most people, I just accepted concrete as part of the deal. But once you start looking at properly finished workshops, you realise how much difference it makes.
The BiGDUG garage floor tile system is currently reduced from £775 ex VAT to £581 ex VAT and completely changes the feel of a space. It probably isn’t the first upgrade most people would buy, but it might be the one that makes the biggest visual difference.
There’s also a 5% saving available across the Garage Collection using the code BD5GARAGE until June 30.
The funny thing is that I started this whole process thinking I needed a bigger shed.
Now I’m not so sure.
What I probably needed was better storage, a proper workspace and a bit more thought about how the space was being used. That’s a much cheaper problem to solve than buying a new shed, and if it means I can finally find the drill when I need it, that’s probably a result in itself.
Plant-based ready meals have come a long way from the bland reputation they once had, and services such as Grubby are leaning into meals that look more like comforting weeknight dinners than traditional ‘healthy eating’ options.
Used car buyers are increasingly relying on independent vehicle data rather than appearances alone, as concerns around hidden finance, insurance write-offs and mileage discrepancies continue to shape purchasing decisions.