How to Build this Cute Garden Shed

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed Build a Garden Shed

Happy New Year! It’s time to store away all those awesome gifts and maybe create more storage solutions. I’m not sure about you, but our garage was definitely bursting at the seams. That’s why I’m super excited to share with you how to Build a Cute Garden Shed. Before you think that you could never build a shed, I beg to differ! This shed comes in a kit. Most of the pieces are pre-cut for you. And it comes with detailed instructions. It does help to have a friend to help with a few of the heavy lifting steps, but the majority of the build can be done by one person.

Let’s get down to the details. I’ve partnered with Lowe’s Home Improvement to show how you too can build a cute garden shed.  Don’t be fooled by the half dozen sheds that are on display in the Lowe’s parking lot. Lowe’s has more than 150 wooden shed kits online waiting for you to explore them! Once you purchase a kit shed, you can customize it to your desires. For example, I looked at tons of sheds online and in person, but ultimately narrowed my choice down to the Cambridge Shed from Lowe’s Home Improvement. The shed wasn’t exactly cute, but it had potential.

Cambridge Shed by Best Barns

For fun I photoshopped this rendition of the shed with some bright colors on it in our yard. (Note: The windows, cupola and weathervane were options that must be purchased separately. Also, for your needs, the shed kit can be purchased with wood joist flooring system or no flooring if you are building it on top of a concrete pad.)

Proposed Shed Design

Then I called my neighbor and ran the idea by them since they would see the shed every time they came and went from their house. I nearly choked when the wife said, “Brittany, I’m sure whatever you build will be very tasteful and adorable. It’s not like you would paint the shed a neon green color.” At that moment, the husband opened my email with the green shed picture and he frantically waved to his wife to hush. We all had a good laugh about it, but ultimately I decided to tone down the shed colors to avoid it looking too “noticeable.”

After I received my neighbors’ okay to proceed, I checked our survey and called 811 to have the utilities marked in the yard. Luckily the only thing moved was our compost pile.

Build a Cute Garden Shed

To prepare the site for the shed, I hired a landscape company to install a retaining wall. This helped to level the slope.

Backyard Landscaping Reveal | Pretty Handy Girl

Because the shed was supposed to be a cute GARDEN shed, I built two rot-resistant raised planter beds in front of the shed site. (If you have an eagle eye, you can see the gravel pad behind the planter beds.)

How to Build a Rot-Resistant Raised Planter Bed | Pretty Handy Girl

Then life happened and I had a very complicated sinus surgery in Houston, Texas. Thankfully all is well and I can breathe (and smell) so much better. Unfortunately the shed was put on hold until I was given the okay to lift heavy items again. Once I had the doctor’s okay, I jumped into action the next day! (I’m not sure he knew I’d be lifting heavy sheets of siding and hand nailing rafters, studs and roof shingles or he may have made me wait longer. LOL.)

If you are my friend on Instagram, you saw some of the progress pictures from this shed build last summer. I admit, I’m behind in posting about this fabulously cute garden shed. I hope you’ll forgive the delay.

How to Build a Garden Shed from a Kit:

This shed kit was by no means a difficult project for an average DIYer to build. But, it will take longer than a weekend. You will also need to get a helper for several of the steps. Especially when lifting the walls and trusses. Otherwise, most of the shed can be built by one person. Your shed kit will be delivered from Lowe’s and dropped in your yard by a wide forklift machine. Make sure the location you want it delivered is near where you want the shed built and that it can be accessed by the forklift (it needs an 8′ wide radius to maneuver through trees, etc.) Open your box and find the instructions. All the hardware, nails and fasteners should be included in the kit. (Although I did end up needing to buy another box of nails when we ran out: possibly because we bent too many or I used more than necessary.)

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Preparation:

Call 811, your local utilities marking service to have all your utilities marked. Check with your city or county Building and Development office to find out what the requirements are for accessory structures on your property. Find out what your setback is and if you need a permit (in our area, the set back is 10 feet and a permit is required for structures over 144 sq. feet.) Level your site and add drainage rock to create a firm base that will not allow water to pool under your shed.

Lay out your site and put up stakes and level strings to delineate where the shed support is to be constructed.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Lay your sleeper posts on the ground and concrete pads or footers if necessary to level.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Take your time with this process. A good foundation is important for a well built structure.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Building the Shed Floor:

Follow the instructions for your shed. Build the floor system with 2″x6″ pressure treated lumber. Check that your flooring structure is square by measuring from corner to corner.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Repeat for the opposite corners. The two measurements must be equal before proceeding.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Lay the plywood flooring on top of the floor joists. (Pro-tip: Use a chalk line to mark where the joists are under the plywood. This will make nailing the flooring to the joists super simple.)

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Nail the plywood flooring to the floor joists.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

After the plywood flooring is completely installed. Build your roof trusses. Follow the instructions. To build the trusses identically, use shipping blocks to create a template to use for each truss assembly.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Once the trusses are built, set them aside.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Build your walls according to the plans. Add the exterior panels before raising your walls (with the exception of the front wall).

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

It’s helpful to mark out your stud locations on the top and bottom plate to assure your walls are built plumb and square.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Have a second pair of hands help you erect the walls one at a time. Brace the walls after checking for plumb. Then secure the walls to the flooring by nailing or driving fasteners through the bottom of the wall.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Now give yourself a big pat on the back! The shed walls are up!

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Add the exterior sheeting to the front of the shed.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Call in your assistant to help you raise the trusses onto the garden shed.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Trusses are installed, but rain was threatening, so we threw up the tarp to cover the shed.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Install the door hardware to hang the sliding doors. Honestly, this was the toughest task. In fact, I’d recommend installing the sliding door track BEFORE adding the roof panels (opposite of what the directions tell you to do.)

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Then you can nail the OSB roof panels to the roof trusses.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Attach the felt paper on top of the roof. (Trim the overhanging tar paper.)

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Be sure to install drip edges along all the edges of your roof (not shown).

Install the trim on your shed.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Paint your shed any colors you fancy.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Add your roof shingles starting from the bottom first and work your way up.

How to Build this Cute Garden Shed

Install a cupola and weathervane if you like. After the cupola is installed, add the ridge vents, and shingles onto the ridge vents.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

I recommend adding the shingles and weathervane to the cupola AFTER installing it on the shed. This keeps the weight on the cupola down when you have to lift it onto the roof.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

If you noticed the rooster changed colors, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. I spray painted the weathervane a copper color to make it stand out better.

Cute Shed Cupola and Weathervane

Now stand back and admire the cute garden shed that you built!

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Feel free to add windows and window boxes for a more cottage style feel.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Paint Colors:

  • Benjamin Moore Kendall Charcoal Gray
  • Benjamin Moore Calypso Blue for the door and shutters
  • Trim color is Sherwin Williams Dover White

Source List:

Want a peek inside the shed?

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

I painted the floors the same color as the doors and primed the walls and ceiling.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

The shed holds all our garden and landscaping tools. I’ll put up a tutorial for adding the pegboard wall next week. For maximum organization, l used pegboard hooks and hangers to maximize the storage.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Of course, there is additional storage in the rafters. We have enough room for boogie boards, sleds, and beach umbrellas up there.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

I love how my garden shed turned out.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

But, best of all, my neighbor likes it too.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

I added a fake mirrored window on the back of the shed. Some day I’ll add shutters to the mirrored window.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

Hope you found the encouragement to build your own garden shed. I’d love to stick around and chat, but the leaves are piling up and need to be raked.

How I Built this Adorable Garden Shed

If you want to see the time-lapse video of the shed build, here it is:

Until next time.

Build a Cute Garden Shed

Disclosure: This project was sponsored by Lowe’s Home Improvement. I was provided with materials to build the shed in exchange for sharing the building process with you. I will always let you know if a project is sponsored. All opinions are my own.

If you liked this post, you’ll love learning how to build the lattice window boxes:

How to Build Window Boxes | Pretty Handy Girl

Or how to build a wood storage shed:

Build a Wood Storage Shed | Pretty Handy Girl

29 hacks to help you get more organized social media image

29 hacks to help you get more organized social media image

29 Hacks to Help You Get More Organized

January is the time of year where we focus on making the next year better than the last. Often that involves new workout goals or resolutions. Other times it means getting more organized. There is something intensely motivating about being organized and saving yourself small bits of time.  With that in mind, here are 29 hacks to help you get more organized for the coming year! Learn how to make your own bins, trays, and more to complete those organizational projects! I hope this helps you start your year off on the right foot.

personalized wall shelfNot enough closet storage? Consider building a Personalized Wall Shelf for jackets, backpacks, and knick knacks.

 

Jewelry Organizer Shelf Keep your jewelry sorted and easy to find with this simple DIY Jewelry Organizer.

 

coffee serving tray mapHaving your morning coffee supplies on a tray like this Rustic Map Serving Tray keeps them looking less cluttered and easy to find even on those mornings that come a little too early.

 

DIY Rolling Storage StoolsBuild these DIY Rolling Storage Stools for extra seating and hidden storage! They can be useful in any room!

 

Ladder Display ShelvesThis rustic Ladder Display Shelf is perfect for organizing and displaying keepsakes or supplies. (Not to mention taking advantage of vertical storage.)

 

Turn a spare Closet into a Reading Nook with some under seat storage to keep your child’s room neat, organized, and adventurous!

 

DIY Produce RackMake this DIY Produce Rack to keep fruits and veggies fresh, accessible, and off your counter.

 

DIY Drawer DividersImprove the space in your bathroom drawers with these DIY Drawer Dividers.  They’d work beautifully in the kitchen as well!

 

DIY Decorative Ammo BoxMake this rustic DIY Decorative Ammo box to add a cool conversation piece to your room with bonus hidden storage inside.

 

DIY Wall BookrackEncourage those little readers by keeping kids books in sight and organized with this DIY Wall Bookrack.

 

DIY Industrial Charging Station and Lock BoxThis Industrial Charging Station and Lock Box is the perfect solution for managing devices and screen time in a busy household.

 

DIY Cell Phone Holder and Charging StationMake this DIY Cell Phone holder and Charging Station to prop up your phone and charge it as you sleep.

 

scrap wood industrial iron board rackNeed some laundry room organization? This Scrap Wood Iron Board Rack is perfect for holding those ironing items in a small space yet easy to use!

 

Galvanized Tub Storage BenchTurn a galvanized tub into a Storage Bench for your child’s room. It’s a step stool, kid bench, and hidden storage all in one.

 

DIY Library Book BoxEver lose track of library books? This DIY Library Book Box is a perfect solution to that constant struggle!

 

Rain Gutter Book StorageAnother solution for book storage would be to repurpose Rain Gutter into Bookshelves.

 

DIY TrayBuild a DIY Tray Box to keep small items corralled in one place and looking less cluttered.

 

Cordless Drill and Circular Saw StorageGarage or shop organization is crucial, and this Cordless Drill and Circular Saw Storage Center is a perfect solution for a garage workshop!

 

Rustic Box CratesBuild some Rustic Wooden Box Crates to store your paperwork, magazines, or anything you want to store out of sight.

 

Turn cardboard box into Decorative binDon’t throw it away! Turn a Cardboard Box into A Decorative Bin to store anything you like. This has to be the most economical storage solution ever.

 

Tall and Skinny Storage Cabinet
Build this Tall and Skinny Storage Cabinet to solve storage problems in a small space. Imagine the storage possibilities in a bathroom, guest room, or kitchen!

 

DIY stacking storage cubbiesGain some easy toss in and take out storage with these DIY Stacking Storage Cubbies.

 

There are so many awesome garage storage ideas in this one post, like this Outdoor Tool Organizer. Be sure to open this article to see them all!

 

Pull Out Pantry DrawersOrganize your pantry with these DIY Pull Out Drawers with Chalkboard Fronts. Now there is no excuse for your spouse putting away the groceries in the wrong spot.

 DIY Cork Jewelry HolderMake a new and unique Cork Jewelry Holder to organize all your necklaces. This little holder is perfect for the back of a door or a small spot between doorways.

 

diy cedar under bed storageBuild this Cedar Underbed Storage to make great use of that otherwise empty space.

 

Shelf Organizer made from one boardOne board is all you need to make this DIY Storage Organizer that can be used in many different ways.

 

Scrap Wood CaddyBuild a Scrap Wood Caddy for any supplies you need to keep organized and transportable. Think cleaning supplies, art & craft supplies, office supplies and much more.

 

Scrap Moulding TrayThis Scrap Moulding Tray is one way to use up those casing and trim scraps. Plus, it’s an attractive way to corral and store project supplies.

I hope this helped give you some more organization ideas! Do you have any great organizational hacks? Share them in the comments please!

If you like this post, you’ll love learning how to build this hallway storage cubes and shoe bench:

9 holiday storage hacks social media image

9 Holiday Storage Hacks

Now that Christmas is over, you’re probably in one of these two camps.

  • Camp #1: Christmas is over, time to pack everything away pronto.
  • Camp #2: Christmas is over, but I want to enjoy the decorations for a while longer. I’ll put them away in the new year.

Regardless of which camp you belong to, I have several Holiday Storage Hacks to help you store the holiday items for next year!

Plastic and Foam Cups:

There will always be ornaments to pack away after the holidays. Protect them from getting crushed or breaking by storing them inside individual disposable cups. For fragile ornaments, insert a foam cup inside the larger plastic cup before placing the breakable ornament inside. This gives a nice cushion around the ornament and creates a nice even layer in the bottom of your storage bin, which is helpful for the next hack.

Storage Hacks for Holiday Decorations | Pretty Handy Girl

Lasagna Method:

Don’t just throw your ornaments in the bin. Start at the bottom of your bin and place a layer of ornaments stored in cups. (Easy to do if you use the first hack above!) Place a piece of foam over the cups and continue with a second layer of ornaments. Again, add another piece of foam, then place ornaments that lay flat or are very thin on top of that last layer of foam. They will be protected and ready to go for decorating next year.

Storage Hacks for Holiday Decorations | Pretty Handy Girl

Saran Wrap the Tree:

Artificial trees can be cumbersome and messy when store them away. To neatly pack your artificial trees use a roll of plastic wrap to secure the branches together, making it easier to carry and store. Bonus, you might actually be able to get that tree back in the box you bought it in!

Storage Hacks for Holiday Decorations | Pretty Handy Girl

Linen Zipper Pouches:

If you have a collection of small tea lights and candles, use an old linen zippered pouch from your last blanket purchase. These are perfect for storing your tea lights, batteries, and other similar items until next year. The clear bag also lets you see exactly what’s inside.

Storage Hacks for Holiday Decorations | Pretty Handy Girl

Cardboard Light Holder:

Do your lights get tangled up by the following year? This year put an end to the frustration by cutting out a large rectangular section of cardboard (shipping boxes or cereal boxes work great.) Make a small slit on one end to hold the end plug of your light strand. Wrap the lights around the cardboard to keep them secure and organized and ready to put up next year. This hack also allows you to store the strands upright to save on space. It may take a bit of extra time now, but will save you time (and curse words) next year!

Storage Hacks for Holiday Decorations | Pretty Handy Girl

Store Like Items Together:

I don’t know about you, but in the past my bins were filled with random holiday items. I struggled to find a particular item. To solve this issue, put similar items into one bin. Next year you’ll know exactly where all of the lights are in an instant. Label the outside of each bin to help speed through the decorating process.

Storage Hacks for Holiday Decorations | Pretty Handy Girl

Hang Wreaths:

Wreaths are large and take up a lot of bin space. To store your wreaths, put them on hangers in an extra closet. If you don’t have closet space, nail a horizontal board to the rafters in your attic or garage and hang them there.

Storage Hacks for Holiday Decorations | Pretty Handy Girl

Gift Wrap Storage:

Gift wrap rolls are long and can be difficult to store. Use a bin or basket in the corner and store your gift wrap upright. This prevents the rolls from getting crushed and they are easy to grab next time you need to wrap a present. Feel free to store birthday and other holiday wraps as well.

Storage Hacks for Holiday Decorations | Pretty Handy Girl

Or, create this under the bed gift wrap station like Her Toolbelt made:

Bins for Gift Bags, Ribbons, & Tissue Paper:

Fold your gift bags neatly and place them inside clear storage bins. Organize by size or celebration and you’ll have a great place to go whenever you need to quickly wrap a gift. Use another bin for ribbon spools and yet another for scrap ribbons (never let those scraps go to waste.) The clear bins make it easy to grab the correct bin, no matter how last minute you’re putting the gift together.

Storage Hacks for Holiday Decorations | Pretty Handy Girl

There you have it! Holiday clean up doesn’t have to be stressful, just keep it organized and use these hacks to make your holiday decor last for years to come. Do you have any storage hacks for holiday decorations that you would add to this list? Please share them in the comments!

cedar underbed storage

Hi Pretty Handy Readers, Jaime here from That’s My Letter to share a beautiful and simple storage idea using cedar boards.  Let’s build some DIY cedar under bed storage bins and make use of that hidden space!

Cedar boards are readily available in most home improvement stores and typically come in 1×4, 1×6 and 1×8 widths.  I used mostly 1×4 boards, which are actually 3 1/2″ wide, for this project because I only have 6″ of clearance under the bed. That’s still plenty of space to store items so let’s not waste it!

cedar underbed storage 2

You’ll want to measure your space and make the under bed storage fit best for your needs. At 17 ½” w x 29 ½” l, these bins work great for this space.  Cedar is naturally resistant to insects, smells great, and looks pretty too!

cedar underbed storage 3

I added a simple pull handle to one end to make it easier to pull.  A simple finger hole would work fine if you don’t want to use hardware.

cedar underbed storage 1

Below are the step-by-step instructions to build the cedar under bed storage.  (Please follow all safety precautions when operating power tools.)

Materials (for one bin):

  • 2 – 1x4x8 cedar boards
  • 1 – 1x6x8 cedar board
  • 1 ¼” pocket hole screws
  • wood glue
  • saw, drill & drill bits
  • nailer & 1¼” finish nails
  • sander
  • clear polyurethane (if desired)
  • 4 – 1 ½” – 2″ casters
  • 3/4″ wood screws
  • handle pull (if desired)

cedar underbed storage dimensions

Cut List (for one bin):

  • 5 – 1×4 @ 28″ l (3 base, 2 long sides)
  • 1 – 1×6 @ 28″ l (base)
  • 2 – 1×4 @ 17 ½” l (short sides)

Instructions:

Step 1: Make the base by attaching boards using wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket hole screws.  Be sure to pre-drill pocket holes around perimeter for later attaching sides.

cedar underbed storage step 1

Cedar typically has a rough and a smooth side. When making the base keep the rough side to the underside.

cedar underbed storage base

Step 2: Attach the long sides to the base using wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket hole screws.

cedar underbed storage step 2

Step 3: Attach the short sides to the base using wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket hole screws.  Then attach the short sides to the long sides with 1 ¼” finish nails.

 

cedar underbed storage step 3

 

Sand smooth and apply clear polyurethane if desired.  Attach casters to four corners and the pull handle to the center of the drawer front.

cedar underbed storage 4

Fill up your new cedar under bed storage bins and push underneath for out of site storage.  So beautiful, so functional, and great for off season storage or every day use.  I hope you enjoy this project and have a spot in your home for cedar under bed storage bins.  Enjoy!

Jaime signature~ Read More of Jaime’s Tutorials ~

 

Pin for later!

Let's build some DIY cedar under bed storage bins and make use of that hidden space! | Pretty Handy Girl #prettyhandygirl #storage #DIY #organization

Magazine File Box Facelift | Pretty Handy Girl

Magazine File Box Facelift | Pretty Handy Girl

It’s a new year and I want to give a few rooms in our house a fresh new look. Our office was one of the first spaces I completed when I started this blog (has it really been 5 1/2 years!)

I’m tired of staring at the same room day after day. I know many of you feel the same way. You have that itch, or a burning desire to hop in the car and drive to your nearest Home Goods, World Market or The Container Store to buy cute colorful decor or storage bins. I almost caved into that desire because I was tired of looking at the two tone boxes I bought 6 years ago.  But, that would mean discarding the old ones. You know how I feel about throwing things away! If I can upcycle it, I’m going to!

Magazine File Box Facelift | Pretty Handy Girl

Within 10 minutes you could give a Magazine File Box a Facelift (or a storage box)! I saved a lot of money reusing the old. Factor in the gas money I saved by not driving to the store. And the time I saved by not leaving the house. I think I deserve a big fat high five! Put ‘er there fellow savers!

Here’s How to Give Your Magazine File Box a Facelift: Read more