Spring Cleaning Checklist: Outdoor Shed Addition

Flower buds are peeking out, the birds are chirping, and you can finally spot more grass in your yard than snow. Also, you have an itch. No – not the one in your red, pollen-filled eyes, I’m talking about the itch to commence spring cleaning.

While there are sure to be a number of places around your property that could use some TLC after this long winter, you can’t forget your dependable shed. Kickoff the season with our spring cleaning checklist for outdoor sheds.

Get organized

Remember the night prior to last winter’s first snowstorm? All those random items you hurriedly tucked away in your shed have come back to haunt you. Instead of continuing to kick them further back into your outdoor shed, do a little purging. If you don’t think you will use that rusty patio set this season, get it out. Four categories should cover your bases: keep, sell, donate, and throw away.

Be sure to establish a permanent home in your shed for each item that makes the cut. Next time you’re rushing to retrieve or return tools, you’ll know right where they belong. Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe’s or your local hardware store are all great places to purchase shed storage systems.

For more custom and budget-friendly organization, you can always take the DIY approach and build your own unique shed organization solutions.

Clean the floor

You’ve probably trekked plenty of dirt, salt, and grass into your shed over the past year. Perhaps you’ve also spilt gasoline or garden chemicals. Since you’re taking everything out of your shed anyway, now is the best time to give your shed’s floors a thorough cleaning.

Start by collecting any larger items like nails and screws into an old coffee can. If you have an outlet nearby or an extension cord, vacuuming will pick up dirt otherwise impossible to reach with a broom. Mop to remove grime and sticky spills that have seeped under tools and shelves.

Wash the windows

It doesn’t take long for dirt and pollen to collect on windows. If it’s been a year since you last cleaned your outdoor shed’s windows, they’re likely becoming tough to see through. Dip a sponge in hot water and distilled vinegar for sparkly clean windows.

World’s Best Glass Cleaner by Sprayway is also an effective and streak-free solution if you’d prefer a more portable spray. Whatever you use on your windows, ensure you don’t clean them while they are in direct sunlight. Doing so will leave behind streaks galore.

Dust nooks and crannies

Finish up your outdoor shed’s spring cleaning checklist by running a duster or damp cloth where it’s ceiling meets the walls. As you probably notice inside your home each spring, corners and crevices are a favorite hiding spot for bugs. One lady bug might almost be cute, but a mass of them huddled overhead… not so much.

Did our spring cleaning checklist help you get any relief from your spring fever? For tips on keeping your storage shed shipshape all year long, check out our post ‘How to Maintain Your Wooden Outdoor Storage Shed’.