Do you often find yourself glancing out of your kitchen window at the familiar wooden structure of your garden shed and wonder how you could get more use out of it? Or worse, has it become so infrequently used that it has now become an eyesore that you feel burdened with? Then these creative uses for your garden shed could be precisely what you need.
Unlike any other country in the world, the population of Britain is quoted as owning more sheds per capita, with around two-thirds of the population owning one. It’s not surprising that sheds have become such a beloved garden accessory, for not only are garden sheds the perfect storage solution, but they can also be a stunning focal point.
However, to say that sheds are only helpful for storing your expensive garden furniture and outdoor cooking equipment when the weather turns sour would be a lie – there are hundreds of innovative uses for sheds. Whether you consider yourself a bit of a gym rat and would like an area to set up your gym equipment that isn’t your spare bedroom or have always dreamed of having your very own man cave – we guarantee that you can find an alternative use for your shed. Here are several ways that you can get started…
Home Office
If you’re one of the 27% of the UK workforce that reported working from home after the closure of hundreds of UK businesses and offices in 2019, following the sudden instruction, you may have found yourself working all over your household. Whether tucked away in your spare room amongst all the clutter or perched precariously on your dining room table, working from home has presented various complications for the UK’s workforce.
One way remote workers can overcome these challenges is by turning their shed into a home office, which can be a perfect solution for those who don’t have the dedicated space to work from home. Not only can garden sheds be ideal for remote workers that wish to overcome spatial problems, but they are also a good solution for those who need a more secluded area to work.
Plus, if you work for yourself, converting your shed into a home office will help you save a considerable amount of money on renting office space, making it a convenient and cost-effective workspace. As well as boasting significant benefits like reduced running costs, a better home/work life, and much more, transforming your shed into a home office is a great way to give your shed a new lease of life that you can utilise for personal and professional gain.
Accommodation For Friends And Family
Suppose you’ve been searching for a way to generate additional income or want a new hobby. In that case, you could consider purchasing or renovating your existing shed into guest accommodation for friends and family members. Whether you’re hosting an event and have nowhere for friends and family to sleep or intend to list the outbuilding on online marketplaces for lodging like Airbnb, whether your shed is brand new or old, it can be converted into a functional living space with amenities like heating, electricity, and damp-proofing.
Admittedly converting your shed into guest accommodation has a few significant components that will have to be tackled, depending on what facilities you would like it to have, from plumbing, windows, electricity, and insulation. Depending on whether you intend to renovate your existing shed or buy a new one, you can find outbuildings that come equipped with various features like opening windows, double doors, and log stores from suppliers like Buy Sheds Direct, which can make the conversion from an outbuilding to guest lodging much more straightforward. Order your shed from buyshedsdirect.co.uk or visit their website to peruse their complete catalogue and see how their sheds and accessories could help you use your shed for more than just storage today.
Children’s Playhouse
We’re confident those with children can attest that keeping them occupied around the clock can be challenging. Due to this, parents can often spend more money than necessary on toys, gaming consoles, and other forms of entertainment, which often end up getting broken, thrown away or left to rot after a couple of uses.
Instead of buying new toys to keep them entertained, parents could consider upcycling pieces of outdoor furniture like your garden shed by turning it into a children’s playhouse. It’s no secret that children love playing ‘let’s pretend’, and gifting them with a playhouse is a great way to encourage this, and it is sure to provide them with hours upon hours of creative play.
On the other hand, if you have older children, you could consider turning your shed into a den where they can hang out with their friends and get some much-needed privacy from other family members.
Depending on the age of your shed, you might feel confident enough to carry out the conversion yourself, or you might want to enlist the services of professional labourers who can complete the work on your behalf.
Garden Bar
One of the most rapidly growing uses for garden sheds is turning them into a pub-themed conversion, giving homeowners a unique backyard attraction to share with family and friends. Especially after the permanent closure of around two-thousand, two hundred and seventy-seven pubs circa 2019, many publicans have taken matters into their own hands and turned their back gardens into a miniature version of their local watering hole.
Unlike building a traditional bar, anyone can create a pub in their back garden without planning permission, so long as it adheres to specific regulations. If the outbuilding doesn’t take up more than half of the land around your property, it is up to four metres high, and two metres away from all fences, then you will not have to adhere to Building Regulations.
If you intend to use your converted shed as a properly functioning pub, then be prepared that you might have to obtain a license to serve and sell alcohol. If you’re not ready to use it for this purpose and want the conversion to be used by family and friends, you could consider giving out free drinks and asking for donations.
Man-Cave
Whether you’re active on social media or not, more likely than not, you’ve probably heard of the term ‘man-cave’, or it’s been brought into the conversation by your partner. Typically, a ‘man cave’ is a room in a property dedicated to practising your hobbies, relaxing with friends, and recharging your batteries after a hard day.
Yet not everyone has the additional space in their property to dedicate to the creation of a man cave, which is where sheds come in. With the right features, accessories, and planning, you can turn any building into a liveable environment, whether you’d like features like a working toilet, a gaming set-up, a sound system, a functioning bar, or more.
Ensuring that you take care of everything from damp-proofing, insulation, heating solutions, lighting etc., you can create a safe, liveable environment to enjoy with family or friends and give your shed a new purpose that you can enjoy all year round.
