At the end of summer, we often think about tidying up the garden, cleaning the patio or preparing the lawn for autumn. But it is also one of the best times of the year to tackle another task that is often put off: organising the home, garage, cellar or workshop.
Garden tools, cleaning products, shoes, boxes, DIY equipment, car accessories, provisions, seasonal clothing… after several months of intensive use of outdoor spaces, items tend to accumulate everywhere.
Back-to-school season is therefore an excellent opportunity to start afresh. And contrary to what you might think, you do not always need to add bulky furniture or have a large room. Good vertical organisation with storage shelves can often completely transform a space.
Why is the end of summer the ideal time to organise everything?
During spring and summer, certain items are used almost every day: garden tools, pool products, barbecues, DIY equipment, outdoor games, car accessories and maintenance equipment.
As autumn approaches, they are gradually used less frequently. This is therefore the perfect time to:
- sort through what is still useful;
- throw away or recycle unusable items;
- clean equipment before storing it;
- group items by category;
- free up floor space;
- prepare the tools that will be used during autumn and winter.
Organising everything now also means avoiding having to search for your equipment among piles of boxes and clutter a few months later.
Start by decluttering before installing storage
A common mistake is to buy storage solutions before even sorting through what you already own.
Instead, start by gradually emptying the area concerned and divide everything into four categories:
- keep and use regularly;
- keep but use occasionally;
- give away or sell;
- throw away or recycle.
This step makes it much easier to determine how much storage space you actually need.
Take the opportunity to clean floors, walls and surfaces too. In a garage or around the house, a pressure washer can be particularly useful for carrying out a thorough end-of-season clean before reorganising the area.
Make use of height: the secret to saving space
In many garages, cellars and workshops, the real problem is not necessarily a lack of floor space.
It is often because the available height is barely being used.
Boxes are stacked on the floor, bags are piled on top of one another and tools gradually end up occupying every available corner.
Shelving, on the other hand, allows you to use several storage levels within the same floor area.
On less than one square metre of floor space, it is therefore possible to create several metres of useful storage.
This is precisely the advantage of the storage shelves available from Chestergarden, offered in different heights, widths and depths to suit both small spaces and larger storage areas.
Wooden shelving: practical storage that also looks great
Storage does not necessarily have to mean industrial-looking furniture.
A wooden shelving unit has the advantage of being suitable for both utility areas and visible areas of the home.
Its warmer appearance means it can easily find a place in:
- a laundry room;
- a pantry;
- an entrance hall;
- a dressing room;
- a bedroom;
- a student room;
- a dry cellar;
- an office;
- a storage room;
- a well-protected garden shed.
It can be used to store decorative baskets and boxes as well as shoes, laundry, books, provisions or accessories.
From small shelves to large double shelving units
Not every space requires the same type of furniture.
In a small flat, laundry room or student bedroom, a compact shelving unit can already provide a considerable amount of additional storage.
In a cellar or large storage room, however, a taller shelving unit or double model can be a better choice for making use of the full length of the available space.
The range of wooden shelving available from Chestergarden includes various sizes: compact three-shelf models, taller four- or five-level shelving units and large double shelving units that can create an entire wall of storage.
This variety allows you to design your storage according to the room rather than having to adapt the entire room to a single type of shelving.
Metal shelving racks: ideal for garages, cellars and workshops
When you need to store tools, boxes, DIY equipment or heavier items, a metal shelving rack is an excellent solution.
Its robust structure is particularly well suited to areas where storage needs to be practical, stable and durable above all else.
A metal shelving rack can be used to store:
- toolboxes;
- DIY machinery;
- spare parts;
- car accessories;
- cleaning products;
- paint tins;
- boxes;
- garden equipment;
- provisions;
- storage containers.
Chestergarden offers various galvanised or black metal shelving racks with MDF shelves in several sizes and configurations.
Some models offer up to six levels, making it possible to use the height of a garage or workshop particularly efficiently.
Metal shelving is not just for the garage
Metal shelving racks are often associated with workshops and warehouses. However, they can be used in many other areas too.
A black model, for example, can fit perfectly into a student bedroom, office or industrial-style apartment.
By adding a few baskets, storage boxes or decorative items, the rack can simultaneously serve as a bookcase, storage unit and shelving system.
In a kitchen or pantry, it can also become a particularly practical food storage unit.
In a laundry room, it can be used to organise laundry products, household supplies, baskets and linen.
The same type of storage can therefore be used in virtually any room in the home.
Wood or metal: which shelving should you choose?
The two solutions meet slightly different needs.
Choose wooden shelving if:
- the shelving will remain visible inside your home;
- appearance is important;
- you want to create a warmer atmosphere;
- you mainly store household items;
- you want to use decorative baskets or boxes.
Choose a metal shelving rack if:
- you are organising a garage or workshop;
- you need to store heavy or bulky equipment;
- robustness and functionality are your priorities;
- you want to maximise the number of storage levels;
- you store boxes, tools or technical equipment.
In many cases, the best result is actually achieved by combining both solutions: wooden shelving in living areas and metal shelving racks in utility areas.
You can discover all these solutions in our collection of storage shelves for the home, garage and workshop.
How should you organise items on shelving?
Having good shelving is not enough: you also need to organise it intelligently.
One simple rule can already make a considerable difference:
the heavier an item is, the lower it should be stored.
Heavy and bulky objects should therefore ideally be placed on the lower levels.
Items used regularly should be positioned at hand or eye level.
Lightweight and rarely used items can be stored on the upper shelves.
This arrangement improves both accessibility and the stability of the shelving unit.
Use boxes to prevent clutter from returning
Even a large shelving unit can become cluttered if all small items are simply placed directly on the shelves.
The ideal solution is to use boxes or containers for different categories:
- electrical items;
- screws and fixings;
- paint;
- gardening;
- cleaning;
- automotive items;
- seasonal decorations;
- outdoor toys;
- barbecue accessories;
- small spare parts.
A simple label on each box will then allow you to find what you need within seconds.
For garden machinery, also remember to keep the corresponding accessories and consumables together. Our spare parts for garden tools category can help you easily find certain parts needed to maintain your equipment.
Use your end-of-summer tidy-up to prepare garden equipment for autumn
Late August and early September certainly do not mean that gardening work is over.
On the contrary, several important jobs begin around this time.
The lawn may have suffered from summer heat and drought. Scarifying the lawn can help remove thatch and accumulated debris and prepare the grass for its autumn recovery.
Tall grass, borders and areas that have been allowed to grow more freely during summer may also require a final tidy-up. For more demanding jobs, discover our selection of CHESTER garden tools.
Once the work is finished, cleaning your machines and giving them a dedicated place on or near your shelving means they will be immediately accessible when the next season begins.
Turn a garden shed into a genuine storage area
Owning a garden shed does not automatically mean that the garden will be well organised.
Without internal storage, a shed can quickly become a room where bicycles, tools, bags of compost and accessories are simply placed in front of one another.
Installing shelving along a wall helps keep a central walkway clear while freeing up a considerable amount of floor space.
If your storage requirements are becoming more substantial, discover our selection of garden sheds designed to protect and organise outdoor equipment.
What about the barbecue after summer?
The end of August certainly does not mean that it is already time to put the barbecue away for good. Fine September days often still provide plenty of opportunities to enjoy meals outdoors.
However, it is a good time to start reorganising accessories: utensils, charcoal, firelighters, covers and cooking equipment can all be given their own dedicated storage area.
If barbecue season is still going strong at your home, discover our selection of garden barbecues.
A tidy garage saves much more time than you might think
The benefits of good organisation go far beyond simply making a room look better.
When every tool and accessory has its own designated place:
- you can immediately find what you are looking for;
- you avoid buying the same equipment twice;
- equipment is less likely to become damaged;
- cleaning the floor becomes easier;
- you can sometimes recover several square metres of usable space.
A few well-positioned shelving units can therefore make a garage that previously seemed too small usable again.
Back-to-school season: start again with a clean and organised space
The end of summer naturally marks a change of pace. The holidays come to an end, children return to school and everyday routines gradually resume.
This is precisely why this period is ideal for getting everything organised before autumn.
Garage, cellar, laundry room, student bedroom, workshop or storage room: thoughtful organisation can help you gain space without actually increasing the size of the area available.
Strong and attractive wooden shelving makes it easy to organise indoor spaces, while robust metal shelving racks are an excellent solution for garages, workshops and areas where heavier equipment needs to be stored.
Discover all the available sizes in our Chestergarden storage shelving collection and use the back-to-school period to finally give everything its own proper place.
FAQ – Choosing and organising your storage shelving
Which shelving should I choose for a garage?
For a garage, choose a robust structure that is deep enough to accommodate boxes, tools and equipment. A multi-level metal shelving rack is particularly suitable for this purpose. Always place the heaviest items on the lower shelves.
Can wooden shelving be used in a bedroom?
Yes. Wooden shelving is particularly versatile and its natural appearance works very well in a bedroom, office or student room. It can be used as a bookcase, for clothing storage or to hold baskets and decorative items.
Can a metal shelving rack be used inside the home?
Yes. Metal shelving racks are not just for garages. A black metal rack can fit particularly well into an industrial-style interior, student bedroom, office, laundry room or pantry.
How can I save space in a small garage?
The priority is to make use of height rather than allowing items to accumulate on the floor. A tall shelving unit with several levels can store a considerable amount of equipment within a very small floor area. Labelled boxes and storage containers make organisation even easier.
Should heavy items be placed at the top or bottom of shelving?
Heavy items should always be placed on the lower levels. This improves the stability of the shelving unit and reduces the risks associated with handling heavy objects at height.
What is the difference between wooden shelving and a metal shelving rack?
Wooden shelving is generally preferred when appearance is just as important as storage, particularly inside the home. Metal shelving is especially useful in garages, cellars and workshops thanks to its robust structure and ability to accommodate heavier equipment.
How can I efficiently organise a garden shed?
Install shelving along the walls to keep a central passageway clear. Group small accessories in containers and place frequently used tools or equipment at an easily accessible height. Seasonal items can be stored on the upper shelves.
Why organise the garage at the end of summer?
The end of summer is the time when many seasonal items are used less frequently. It therefore becomes easier to sort, clean and store equipment before autumn and winter while preparing the tools that will still be needed during the months ahead.
