Garden Tool Organization 101

No, I am not a gardener. Whew, it just feels good to say that. Here in the Northern Hemisphere it is time to plant gardens and mow the lawns. We wait until after Mother's Day which was on May 11th this year to plant tomatoes and other warm loving veggies. Any earlier than this and they can get frozen. But this year the day after Mother's Day it was almost freezing at 36 F.

It takes the guilt away for me to say I am not a gardener. Don't get me wrong, I have done my share. I love the taste of veggies fresh from the garden. When our five girls were at home I would wake them up on Saturday morning before the sun was up (what was I thinking) so they could help weed the garden because I thought that would teach them how to work. Let's be honest here, it would have been easier to just have done it ourselves but we wanted them to have the experience. They all grew up with a fantastic work ethic, but none of them have gardens.

Organizing gardening tools can make gardening more enjoyable. Anytime you have to hunt for the tools, or other things it takes some of the fun out of it. Make a place in your garage or shed just for your gardening tools. Some people refer to zones in the garage and one of these zones would be for the gardening gear. Justin Cave, host of HGTV's "Ground Breakers" said, "When it comes to gardening, we seem to be unorganized, myself included. Getting organized makes you feel better and makes you want to garden." Personally I am not so sure it makes me want to garden, but the same concepts that apply to inside my home applies to outside my home. Organization just makes me feel better about my home and about myself.

Prioritize your needs and take the time to declutter. Get rid of those tools that have cracked handles or you avoid using because you aren't comfortable with. The saying 'you get what you pay for' is true. The cheap tool may look good at the store but the cheap ones generally are the ones that break the quickest and the easiest. It pays to pay for quality.

Susan Appleget Hurst, Better Homes & Gardens senior associate garden editor, recommends three essential tools. A leaf rake, spade and garden fork. She also recommends brightly colored handles that are easy to spot in the yard. Have you noticed how many handles are either green or brown? Maybe we could spray another color on the handle.

Hang tools on garage walls to save space and avoid accidentally driving over those that may have been leaned against the wall and have fallen. When hung they are easy to find and it looks organized. Hurst recommends a five-gallon bucket with a liner for tools. (She uses the Bucket Boss). The tools fit around the outside of the bucket and lawn clippings or weeds go in the bucket.

Hoses fit nicely on a hose reel. There are many different kinds of holders for the garden hose and when not in use they look better rolled up rather than lying out on the lawn. And they are better protected from the blaring hot sun.

If you have a container in the garage with drawers' smaller tools can be stored there. Label the drawer so you will know where to put the tool back after use to help you stay organized. Also keep the tools sharpened and clean. Wipe off dirt or mud with a cloth and at the end of the season wipe the metal tools with linseed oil. Even if you don't like to garden, when your tools are organized it will look like you do. Then you can always find them to loan to your neighbor

Marilyn Bohn's Bio
Marilyn is a creative organizer who has been organizing for over 20 years. She is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers and is working towards becoming a Certified Professional Organizer. Professionally she has been organizing homes and offices for over two years. She holds a bachelors degree in Social Work. She has reared five daughters and currently lives in Utah.

Marilyn invites you to her website http://www.marilynbohn.com where you can find free organizing tips and interesting blogs and helpful videos on organizing.