Is your backyard filled with as much crap as mine? Random outdoor kid toys, various yard tools, and, in the summer, a big pop-up pool. I have been wanting a storage shed to hide all the junk in forever.
Building my own was out of the question unless I was willing to have a collapsing hazard in the yard. Hiring someone to build a shed can cost, on average, $3500, according to Angi’s List. Also not an option.
Luckily there are a number of ways to have the shed of your dreams. Whether you’re extremely handy or, like me, completely useless, there are a few affordable options.
Related: Cheap Patio Paver Ideas When You’re on a Tight Budget
A Little Hard: A Cheap or Free Shed Plan
Search the internet for any number of free or almost-free shed plans that require you to use your own materials. Ideas range from simple to complex based on your skills. The site shedplans.org is great for finding free and low-cost ideas in all shapes and sizes. If you’re very handy, Home Depot also offers free detailed instructions online.
Related: 8 Cheap and Simple Front Yard Landscaping Ideas
Easier: Buy a Shed Kit
Check out Amazon for numerous shed kit options like this Custom Shed kit, which requires you to buy your own lumber. This does however, keep the price down for the rest of the kit, and means you can go for as cheap or expensive wood as you want.
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Somewhat Easier: Forget Wood, Choose Metal
Don’t want to deal with heading to the lumbar yard? There are numerous DIY metal shed options as well. For a little over $100, you can get this well-reviewed Metal Garden Shed that includes all the pieces. Reviews range from it being an easy one-person job to being somewhat confusing to assemble, but worth the price. It has nearly a 5-star rating, so it’s clearly a popular choice.
Even Easier: Choose Ripstop
A “shed in a box” kit using ripstop material is large, waterproof, and cheap. This one has what feels like millions of pipes to put together, according to reviews, but gets good ratings for sturdiness.
Easiest: Use a Pop-Up Shed
This is what yours truly did, on my own, in half an hour with zero help. Though they call this a bike storage tent, it works well for storing anything that will fit in there. The company says assembly takes about eight minutes, and that’s not too far off. You need zero tools, zero skills, and zero time. I would buy it again and again.
