How to Transform a Backyard Shed to Tackle New Year's Resolutions

The end of the year is just around the corner, which means so are New Year's resolutions. According to recent research, approximately 60 % of us make New Year's resolutions, but only 8 % stick to them. Whether you're planning to tackle popular resolutions like exercising more, learning a new hobby or something else entirely, one thing remains constant—it is important to create a dedicated space in your home where you can focus on your new goals.

Want to carve out a dedicated area in your home to do so, but don't have enough space? Look no further than a backyard shed.

#1: Define Your Space

Too many home offices are carved into a crowded kitchen space, combined with a guest bedroom or in the same area as a lively living room. As someone who's office is in the home, blogger, interior designer and business owner Liz Marie Galvan recently customized a home office shed to help meet her career goals while staying true to the vintage-inspired style of her farm. 

“We wanted a space where we could work outside of the house, but still have the convenience of being on our farm,” says Galvan, who is not only a business owner, but also a new mom. “My tips for designing and defining your backyard shed is to think of it like another room in your house. For me, that meant including a sofa and a functional table with a coffee bar. I highly suggest putting items in here that you would put in your home because it will feel like your home.”

#2: Lighten Up

A recent study shows that working by natural light led to a 84 % drop in bothersome symptoms like eyestrain and headaches as well as boosted productiveness and decreased drowsiness. Galvan worked with LP^® Outdoor Buildings Solutions^® and Tuff Shed^® to customize her shed design. For Galvan, one of the most important aspects was ensuring plenty of natural light. “I wanted lots of windows because I'm like a fiddle plant—I need light!” she says. Galvan added six windows as well as a full glass door to her design to ensure plenty of natural sunlight. 

#3: Use Items that Inspire You

If you are planning on using your backyard shed to help reach your New Year's resolutions, it only makes sense to surround yourself with items that inspire you. Galvan chose to incorporate her personal style into the shed design. "I wanted to give our office shed a cozy, masculine edge with the interior décor, but still make it functional. We used antique drawers and décor items like old leather bags along with a gallery wall featuring vintage photos to achieve the look," says Galvan.

If you're building a hobby shed, ample storage for supplies is important. Look beyond traditional storage bins and consider alternative solutions that stimulate creativity. For example, a rolling tool chest and an architectural drawings filing cabinet offer narrow drawers that are perfect for small items like jewelry or craft supplies. Additionally, an old Hoosier cabinet can do double duty to maximize your space-it stores supplies and can serve as a coffee bar to keep you caffeinated while reaching your 2020 goals.

Ready to conquer those New Year's resolutions? Click here for a backyard shed visualizer and see below to watch a video on Galvan's shed project to get inspired.