Storage solution needed

[LadyHomeLover]

Hi folks

I'm desperately short of storage for paint tubs and pots, of which I have about 20, a few gardening tools, a sack of compost and spare plant pots. I have only a patio garden, and that garden has only one little corner that can be used for storage.

Over the years I have had a series of those plastic store boxes. They don't hold much, but it's better than nothing. One by one each one fell apart and now the current one (Keter) which cost £60 and is only three months old, has broken hinges so the lid doesn't stay on and now it's full of rainwater!

Over 15 years I've spent about £250 on this series of boxes. Stupidly, this is more than the cost of the stuff I am storing. Duh!

So now the latest box has failed, I am again looking for some way to store this stuff. I'm looking at taller plastic boxes, and larchlap sheds. I'm wondering about just putting some steel shelving units there (I have some that I have no use for) and cover this with something waterproof like tarpaulin.

I'm also wondering whether it would be cheaper to employ a carpenter to build a simple wooden shed. Is this likely to be cheaper than buying one? I have looked at dozens but none would fill this 1.4m width. They are too wide, or far too narrow and thus would not make the best use of that precious 1.4m width.

Just wondering if anyone has any ideas for me?

Thanks

Lady.

The space is 1.4m wide.

 

[footprints]

Push the boat out and get a good shiplap store something like this.

http://www.skinners-sheds.com/product/8

They will erect it as part of the price so much cheaper than getting one built, I see you are in Sussex so Skinners are local based in Bexhill with a number of showrooms in the area.

Storing paint in a small shed is not a good idea though, unless you can be sure it will remain frost free.

 

[LadyHomeLover]

Thanks. Yes they are near me. I have often been driven past and sniggered at their "free erection" sign.

But yes, gosh, that is quite expensive. £235 to £275.

I have to keep paint outside. There is nowhere in the house to keep it.

Someone just suggested that I buy two or three 110 litre dustbins with waterproof locking lids, keep paints in one, tools in another etc. Black ones start at £8 but I'd got for red, yellow, green. They are £28 each so three would cost £84. Any reason why not?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Litre-Refus...e=UTF8&qid=1394458270&sr=1-3&keywords=110+bin

 

[cajar]

page suggests they are intended for food storage so the plastic might not be up to have heavy metal things with edges in it and in 6 months you could be back to square one.

 

[Deleted2797112]

Those bins are small - can't see you'd get 20 pots of paint in them never mind all the other stuff. Without seeing your space, it's hard to say what would work best but a sentry box shed sounds closest. They are around 1m wide which you seem to be rejecting because it won't fill your space of 1.4m - does it have to fill the space if it will hold everything you need?

Or will your space take a standard 4ft x 6ft wooden shed?

 

[footprints]

A couple of bins will take up a fair bit of space and imagine trying to get that trowel or dibber that has slipped to the bottom out with all the other bits on top.
You might fall in head first

And with that offer you drive by well just too good to refuse

 

[LadyHomeLover]

Thanks for the replies. I like the term "sentry box" - it describes it very well!