Plan Ahead – Go out to your backyard shed with some graph paper, a tape measure and a pen or pencil and plan out where to put all of the pegboards, hooks, cabinets and other organizational elements. This is something you would ideally do before building your back yard shed, but if it’s already there, there's no time like the present to come up with a plan. Take the placement of doors and windows into account as well as where larger items will be stored as you work out a plan. Don't forget to leave enough space to make it easy to reach everything and if possible, for workspace in your backyard shed. One good strategy is to keep hand tools and other smaller items on a pegboard and hook system. Shelves are ideal for boxes and larger tools and the largest items can be stored directly on the floor. Make good use of the corners with corner shelves and cabinets for additional storage.

Install a Workbench – If you have enough space, a workbench is a great addition to your backyard shed. This lets you work on small projects right there where you store your tools. Choose a workbench which includes drawers; a shed is a relatively small space, so everything you can do to make use of the available space helps. Drawer organizers make your workbench drawers the perfect place for storing washers, screws and other small, easily lost items. If possible, hang a pegboard above your workbench for a convenient hand tool storage solution.

Categorize – You'll have a much easier time finding everything in your back yard shed when you keep them separated by type. Use labeled bins and boxes which can be closed securely. Group similar items with each other; but remember that you shouldn't store anything which is sensitive to temperature extremes in your backyard shed.

Security - You should install locks in your back yard shed. You'll want to be able to lock the door of course, but you may want to consider locking your cabinets as well to deter theft as well as keeping potentially dangerous items away from pets and small children.

Up and Away – If your backyard shed has a high ceiling, make use of this space by building a mini loft or installing hooks in the ceiling. This lets you keep less commonly used items out of the way as you work or retrieve tools from your back yard shed.

Set Your Priorities – The things you use regularly should be stores where they are easily accessible. Things you use only rarely can be tucked away in less easily reached parts of your backyard shed. If you need to stack anything, remember to keep the most commonly used items at the top of the stack. Things which you use seasonally should be kept in a less accessible spot and rotated as needed into a more convenient location.

One last backyard shed organization tip: If you'll be storing lawnmowers, larger barbecue grills or other items with wheels in your backyard shed, you may want to use a ramp instead of a step at the entrance of your shed.

With some common sense, careful planning and a few accessories, you can easily turn your backyard shed into a well organized place and save yourself many hours of frustration over the long run. When you make it easy to be organized, you'll stay organized.