The shed that was here...is now a repurposed, reused fantastic garden outbuilding!

Last fall, we tore down the lil garage but kept the other buildings. After we tore down the garage, where in the world are we going to put all the things we are going to keep? The cabin was stuffed full, the garden shed was stuffed full and there was no way JACK! that I was putting anything else in that house if I had to spend 5 snowy cold months in it and try to get something done! Well, on the back of the house, like a caboose, was a tin shack, again, filled with garbage and wood....imagine that! The roof was caving in, it looked like someone took the top off a trailer and nailed it on there...I am not even commenting on THIS guy's imagination... We decided to keep it so we sturdied (is that a word?) it up, put a new roof on it and...again...stuffed it full of "stuff". Why can't I ever do anything at the beginning of summer?

The shed was tin...hmmm...where in the world does one get metal roofing that does not cost an arm and a leg? Well...you go tin shack hunting!...of course! Up behind the bar in town was a pile. In that pile were 14ft long metal panels that actual metal roofing had come in so the paint doesn't get scratched...and they had just put a brand new metal roof on that bar! PERFECT! Free, reusable, repurposed! That shed, for the first part of the winter was also our freezer. We didn't have one and we didn't have the funds to purchase one...actually, that is the only good reason I have ever had for a Walmart bag...they make great hanging freezer baskets...well, that is if you use Mother Nature to refrigerate your meat!

Nailed to the back door was another door. It was an old door and it was solid plank wood. Perfect shed door. And we were in business, we had storage...

That shed was the anti-christ! It blocked all the light to the back porch, it was ugly and a catch all....

Well...it did finally get nice out...and the 7 feet of snow melted and I had a full summer planned of cleaning out that cabin, repurposing the garden shed into a chicken coop and a myriad of other things...until one day, I was cleaning the back porch...I couldn't see anything and it was broad daylight! IT HAD TO GO!


I got the sledge hammer, screw driver and gloves and dismantled the shed....I saved the panels and some of the lumber that was reusable (got a lil impatient and the sledge hammer got a lil outta hand)and stacked it in a pile.

When the Honey got home, he looked at me like I had two heads..."whatcha doin?"

Uh...you have to build me a new shed, I can't see! and I have no light...and everything just gets piled in here! and....and....well, he finally saw it my way...we had a discussion and the following day, he came home with 6 landscape timbers...they are treated and they are as thick as a 4x4 but the cost difference is about 5 bucks...the timbers were 4 bucks a piece. This is where the saved garage wood came in handy. We also used a few 2x4's from wood pallets. We decided where it would do the most good and look the best, what we were going to use it for and measured out a string line...I dug the post holes and he framed it in...It took one afternoon to build this life saving device! and it fits all of our gear in it...we hung all the old tools we found on it...

Not bad for 25 bucks! Home Depot, eat your heart out!

The best part of it is all the light that shines thru the back of the house and lights up my kitchen! Well...and the caboose is off the toaster...I am making it my life goal....to make sure noone refers to my house as looking like a toaster again...

Metal roofing is quite popular now a days...if you can find a house that is putting on a new roof, or better yet, a commercial building, ask them for the tin shells their roofing came in, they are just as good as the roofing itself but they are not painted. They have to pay to have them dumped and what a shame! The panels can be primed and painted any color.  The pallet's we use are from an auto body shop. Fenders, hoods and such come on 2x4 pallets. They are not like the one's you see bulk goods delivered on, they are beautiful, straight, 2x4's in 6, 8 and 10ft long lengths! 2x4's cost up to 8 dollars at the lumber store. If you have an autobody shop near you, ask them for them. They have to pay to have them taken to the dump, they will gladly give them up! Totally simple to take apart and the building materials you get are terrific!  and they make great kindling for the wood stove!