• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • BLOG
  • Meet Sarah
  • Shop With Me
    • My Amazon Store
    • LIKEtoKNOW.it
    • Buy Plexus (the pink drink!))
    • Buy Arbonne
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
The Fashionable Housewife

The Fashionable Housewife

Because Moms Should Look Good, Too!

  • Fashion
    • Today’s Outfit
    • Outfit Ideas
    • Spring Fashion
    • Summer Fashion
    • Fall Fashion
    • Winter Fashion
  • Beauty
    • Hair
    • Skin Care
    • Makeup
    • Nail Polish
    • Organic or Eco-Friendly
    • Hair Removal
    • Sun Protection
    • Cosmetic Surgery
  • Health
    • Fitness
    • Weight Loss
    • Pregnancy
    • Vitamins & Supplements
    • About The Dukan Diet
    • Review of i-Lipo Laser Liposuction Treatment
  • Home Life
    • Home Improvement
    • Home Decor
    • Outdoors
    • DIY & Crafts
    • Homesteading
    • Finances
  • Marriage
  • Faith
  • Parenting
    • Baby Gear
    • Babywearing
    • Breastfeeding
    • Cloth Diapers & Diapering
    • Pregnancy
    • Natural Birth
  • Homeschooling
    • Raising Wild Saints
  • Recipes
    • Food & Snacks
    • Baby Food
    • Gluten Free
    • Keto
    • Coffee
    • Cocktails
  • Travel
    • Story Land in Glen, NH
  • Shop My Looks

Why a Backyard Shed is Essential to the Homesteading Lifestyle

Modified on April 30, 2020 at 6:17 PM

Sharing is caring!

0 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
backyard shed
Flourishing Homestead Garden

Homesteading is a popular lifestyle in which those who practice it strive to live a sustainable life that puts them closer to nature and allows them to live off the land. For many, homesteading is appealing because it is less harsh on the environment and allows those who practice it to lead what they feel to be a more wholesome lifestyle. Many homesteaders also make a living off the food and materials they produce by selling the surplus. If you’re considering earning money from being a homesteader, it’ll definitely be helpful to read up on articles like https://naturaldwellers.com/beekeeper-salary/ before making your decision.

One of the most important aspects of successful homesteading is having the right tools and a place to securely store them that is in easy reach. Chances are you don’t want all your supplies and equipment cluttering your home. A backyard storage shed is multi-functional and a must-have when it comes to operating a fully functional, efficient homestead. This is your guide to the many ways an outdoor building can be an asset to your homesteading lifestyle. 

The Production and Storage of Fruits and Vegetables

watering

If you’re like most homesteaders, then you will have a garden to grow fruits and vegetables for your family and to sell to the community. A backyard shed offers a secure, dry space for storing seeds, fertilizer, gardening tools, and even crops that have been harvested and are waiting to either be used by your household or going to market. You can even turn an outdoor storage building into a greenhouse to nurture seedlings until they are mature enough to be transplanted. 

A Chicken Coop

Eggs are a great source of protein for your family. Many homesteaders choose to raise laying hens that will produce eggs daily for your family to eat. A backyard shed can easily be turned into a chicken coop that will protect your chickens from predators, give them a safe place to roost, and lay their eggs. 

In addition to a coop, you will also need an area to store feed, waters, feeders, and other supplies needed to care for your chickens. You may even want to install a small incubator and hatch your own eggs. The most convenient option is to build a chicken coop in which one area of the structure is a chicken coop and the second area is partitioned off as a supply room. Head over to Easy coops for chicken coop plans to get started.

chicken

If you choose to incubate your own eggs, the space should be well-insulated so that the incubator will better be able to hold the appropriate temperature. Installing windows and plenty of lighting will help to deter unwanted pests. Easy to maintain flooring such as tile or even painted concrete will make cleaning up any messes a breeze. For extra storage space, you can incorporate loft storage for items that you rarely need. Having your supply room attached to your coop will make caring for your flock easier and more efficient.

Designated Sewing Area

Sewing is a popular homesteading activity. It is common for homesteaders to make their own clothes, curtains, tablecloths, and such. Even if you aren’t quite at that level yet, you may still want to mend clothes, blankets, and curtains. Either way, you will need a dedicated space to carry out these activities. A backyard shed is an ideal option. A sewing area will give you the space you need to store all of your fabric, sewing machine, and supplies. Adding a large table to the space will allow you to easily work with large pieces of fabric. As a bonus, you can get a little peace and quiet when engaging in one of your favorite activities.

Beekeeping

beekeeping

Believe it or not, bees are responsible for pollinating over half of the food we eat. If you plan to engage in beekeeping as part of your lifestyle, apart from the beehives, you will need special equipment. This includes:

  • Smoker – Helps calm the bees before you work with them
  • Protective clothing – This includes a coverall suit, pants, specialized jacket, mesh veil, and gloves
  • Uncapping knife – This unique tool is used to harvest honey from inside the beehive
  • Hive tool – Used to remove both the frames and boxes

A backyard shed is an ideal place to store all of the equipment you need to work with your beehives when you aren’t using it. Placing the structure within close proximity to your hives will mean that you have everything you need in easy reach. 

Making Your Own Soap

homemade soap

Soap making is a one-of-a-kind art that deserves its own unique space. You can have your own homemade soap making factory in your outdoor shed. This process requires quite a bit of supplies and materials including:

  • Scale for weighing ingredients
  • Thermometer for tracking the temperature of your soap
  • Immersion blender for mixing the ingredients
  • Containers for mixing the lye and soap batter
  • Silicone spoons and spatulas
  • Soap molds
  • Safety equipment such as goggles and gloves

Your outdoor space will need to be equipped with electricity as well as some way of heating the solution, such as a stovetop. Make sure to install easy to clean, yet durable flooring that spilled soap batter and lye solution will not ruin. Incorporating built-in storage into the design is a must in order to keep safety equipment and your homemade soap supplies tucked neatly away.  

Canning Fruits and Vegetables

canning

Canning fruits and vegetables is a great way to preserve crops that would otherwise go to waste because they couldn’t be eaten or sold quickly enough. When executed properly, canned goods have an extremely long shelf long. In order to properly can fruits and vegetables, you need the right equipment including:

  • Canning jars and lids
  • Plastic or stainless-steel canning funnel
  • Stainless steel ladle
  • Canning jar lifter with rubber grips
  • Kitchen Tongs
  • Magnetic lid lifter 
  • Cooker 
  • Food strainer

Canning is a process and much easier if you have a designated space. A separate outdoor shed can be equipped with a kitchen capable of canning any size crop you produce. Shelving and cabinetry can be incorporated to neatly store all of your canning supplies so that they are out of the way when not in use. 

Raising Livestock

milking a goat

When most people think of homesteading, raising animals is one of the first things that come to mind. The most popular livestock found on homesteader properties are:

  • Goats
  • Sheep
  • Pigs
  • Cows

Depending on the size of your livestock operation and available land, you may want multiple outside buildings to accommodate a variety of needs. Here are the most common uses of a backyard shed for raising livestock:

  • As a milking parlor for a dairy cow or milk goats
  • Shelter or barn for livestock to get out of the environmental elements
  • A place to store livestock feed and supplies. 
  • A covered area to sheer sheep for their wool

Easily Harvest Rainwater

rainwater

Using rainwater to nurture crops and water animals is a great way to save on resources. The great news is that the storage building you are using for other homesteading activities can double as a great way to capture rainwater that would otherwise be wasted. This can easily be done by attaching a gutter system to the roof of the structure and navigating the water into barrels or other suitable water collection containers.  55-gallon drums are the most commonly used containers for harvesting rainwater, but plastic trashcans and metal feed cans work as well.  

Begin Your Homesteading Lifestyle by Building a Shed

Having one or more backyard sheds is an easy way to organize your homestead and make day-to-day processes much more comfortable and much more efficient. Shedplans.org has great free shed plans for those who are set on building a shed.

Related posts:

No related posts.

Posted By The Fashionable Housewife
on April 20, 2020 at 6:04 PM
Filed Under: Home Life, Homesteading, Outdoors
Tagged With: backyard, backyard shed, backyard space, beekeeping, chickens, farming, homemade soap, homestead, homesteaders, homesteading, outdoor, outdoor living, outdoors, shed, storage shed

About The Fashionable Housewife

Sarah-Jean Ballard is the Editor in Chief of The Fashionable Housewife blog and Founder of Fashionable Media. Married to a sexy Molecular Biologist, housewife, mom to 5, homeschooler, Certified Personal Nutritionist and entrepreneur who's mission is to help moms just like you look and feel GREAT! Other interests include dancing, yoga, positive intactivism, natural birth and breastfeeding support, babywearing, paleo & gluten-free cooking, and promoting an overall healthy lifestyle to all.

Disclaimer

The Fashionable Housewife is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for blogs and websites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We also participate in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission on purchases made through our links. There is no extra cost to you! For more info, please see our Disclosure & Privacy Policy.

Previous Post: « 5 Causes of Stress In Seniors & How To Manage It
Next Post: 5 Tips For Operating a Pressure Washer »

Primary Sidebar

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Hello, there!

Sarah-Jean Ballard

Hi! I’m Sarah-Jean. I’m a Christian, the wife of a handsome Molecular Biologist, and the homeschooling mother of 5 beautiful kids!

I enjoy homesteading, reading, writing, cooking, baking, crafting, home decorating, Xtend Barre, and of course, fashion!

This blog is a place for me to share how we live and what I love most. I’m on a mission to help busy moms like you, be fashionable too! Read More…

Never miss a post


Use code FASHION10 to get 10% off your order at www.mapleandlark.com





Use our exclusive coupon code
LS-SARAHJEAN for $20 off your first order!


DHgate fashion dresses for sale

Use coupon code ‘FHW‘
to get 20% off your order!!!

Latest on Instagram

fashionablewife

𝒯𝒽ℯℱ𝒶𝓈𝒽𝒾ℴ𝓃𝒶𝒷𝓁ℯℋℴ𝓊𝓈ℯ𝓌𝒾𝒻ℯ
Christian, Wife, Mama x 5. livin' in NH
Fashion, Food, Health, & Home
✉️ Email me, let’s work together!

𝕊𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕙 | Fashionable Homemaker & Large Family Life
You do not find a happy life. You make it. 

That’s the biggest lesson that grief has taught me. If I just wait around to be happy again, I’ll die sad. 

You don’t get through grief and come out the other side. That’s not how it works. You learn how to grow around it like a tree grows around a rock that’s in the way. You don’t wait for the rock to move. Cause it’s not gonna. 

Choose happy. And then make it happen. 

#choosehappy #joyinthejourney #griefjourney #healingfromtrauma
8 billion smiles in the world, but his is my favor 8 billion smiles in the world, but his is my favorite. 

Happy Valentine’s Day, @daeinexplains 🥰

The last 20 years with you have been my favorite years on this earth. ❤️ 

If I did anything right in my life, it was when I decided to give my heart to you.  You are my best friend, my soul mate, my better half, my rock, my everything. 

I love you.

#couplegoals #marriedlife #motherhoodthroughinstagram #weddingday #marriagegoals #yourestilltheone
Kids love helping if you just let them!💁🏼‍ Kids love helping if you just let them!💁🏼‍♀️

This little guy always asks to help when he sees me cleaning the house, washing the floors, doing laundry, or emptying the dishwasher. That’s what I love about Montessori parenting - it allows kids to do  big jobs and in turn makes them eager to help! 

He was over the moon when we gave him the @lovevery floor mop that actually works! He uses it daily now. The mopping pad is machine washable and you can refill the fluid container on it. I usually just do water and a drop of essential oils because he loves it when everything smells clean! 😜 

Definitely recommend! If you want to grab this mop for your little helper, it’s in the Storyteller Play Kit from Lovevery for 3 year olds. 

LlNK is in my bio to get FREE shipping! 💃🏼

#lovevery #loveverytoddler #loveverypartner #montessoriathome #montessoriplayroom #montessoritoddler
Stop trying to fit your square self in a round hol Stop trying to fit your square self in a round hole. 

Sometimes we outgrown relationships. Sometimes we realize someone else isn’t a good influence on our lives. Sometimes we realize we aren’t a good influence for someone else. Sometimes we need to let things go that aren’t good for us in order to grow. And that’s ok. 

Stop trying to sit at a table you are no longer welcome at. Just be yourself, focus on God, love your family and friends, and the right people will gravitate to you. ✌🏻 

#raisingsaints #momlife #motherhoodunplugged #selflovejourney #growingpains #selfcaresunday
When your toaster breaks from a power surge you ta When your toaster breaks from a power surge you take that as a sign that it’s time to upgrade! 🤪

It wasn’t hard to pick a new 4 slice toaster. As soon as I saw this one from @haden_usa I added it to my cart. I bought it from @lordandtaylor because it had the fastest shipping and I didn’t want to wait! 

No fancy electronics, screens, or extra features we don’t need. Just simple, straight forward functions and perfect results everytime. Plus it matches all my @cafeappliances too! 😂👍🏻

What do you think of this 4 slice toaster?! 

#toasters #kitchenappliances #kitchendesign #kitchendecor #whitekitchen #farmhousekitchen #farmhousestyle #whiteappliances
I’m obsessed with these leather booties from @en I’m obsessed with these leather booties from @enjoiya! 💃🏼 

The “Steffi” in green are the perfect boots for ushering in spring weather with their delicious vintage leather and worn-in look right out of the box. I love the chunky lug soles and inside zippers to get them on and off easily. 

These are the boots you’ll want to wear again and again. And again. 

Use my coupon code BALLARD20 to get 20% off your order! Find them on www.enjoiya.com

#leatherbooties #enjoiya #italianshoes #realmomstyle #momstyle #momstyletips
All the poop shoveling doesn’t seem so bad with All the poop shoveling doesn’t seem so bad with the prices of eggs right now! 🤪 🐔 🥚 

Guess it’s ok to be a crazy chicken lady and have a homestead now! 🤣

#momlife #crazychickenlady #homesteadlife
I’m addicted and I just can’t get enough 😂🫣

I’m loving my no -toxic, non-stick cookware from @caraway_home  It’s as beautiful as it is easy to cook with. And it makes my kitchen look prettier too! 💁🏼‍♀️

Want to learn more about why I’m obsessed with these pots and pans? Visit my blog and search CARAWAY! Or scroll through my feed! 🥳

#homemaker #housewifelife #homestyler #momlife
Today was my due date for Dylan. Considering he w Today was my due date for Dylan.

Considering he was my 6th child, it's possible he would have been here by now. It’s been extra hard for me this week. 

Despite my best efforts to be strong and stay positive, I am completely brokenhearted. I’m just being honest. I could pretend I’m fine, but that doesn't do me or anyone else any good to be dishonest about the pain of miscarriage or the grief that comes with losing a child. 

My heart is completely shattered from having an empty womb and an empty nursery. An empty bassinet in the corner and unused tiny newborn outfits, all washed, folded, and ready… for nothing. 

It makes me physically sick to my stomach when I think about it all and I can't even fathom how I got here. How did I get here? 

This isn't how it's supposed to be! I should be holding a newborn right now! It’s so unfair. 

In an instant, my baby was gone and there was nothing I could do to change that. 

It doesn't matter how much time passes or what else happens in life, I will always miss him. My heart with always long for my baby. 

Those who haven't experienced loss tell you that "Don’t worry! Things will get better, just focus on the positive!" but people who actually know this grief and what it actually feels like to lose a baby, won’t tell you that. They know this hard road. They understand that unfortunately you don't just “get over it.” 

The grief doesn't just go away, even if you try to ignore it, it's still there. Like the sun. You don’t have to look at it to know it’s there. You can turn your back on it but it will still warm your skin. 

The grief from losing a child is unbearable. 
It is unpredictable.
It is unforgiving.
It is relentless.
It is all-consuming.
And it completely shatters you when you don’t expect it. 

You don’t get over it. You don’t forget. You simply learn to live with it. And I’m learning to live with it every day. 

It’s been 137 days I’ve had to live without my baby. 

Lord Jesus, please… hold me extra tight tonight. 

#babyloss #babylossawareness #babylosssupport #babylosscommunity #babylosssurvivor #stillbornstillloved #stillbornawareness #stillbirth #miscarriagesupport #miscarriageawareness

Footer

coffee

Each product we feature on The Fashionable Housewife has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase through the links in our posts, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting us!

You do not find a happy life. You make it. 

That’s the biggest lesson that grief has taught me. If I just wait around to be happy again, I’ll die sad. 

You don’t get through grief and come out the other side. That’s not how it works. You learn how to grow around it like a tree grows around a rock that’s in the way. You don’t wait for the rock to move. Cause it’s not gonna. 

Choose happy. And then make it happen. 

#choosehappy #joyinthejourney #griefjourney #healingfromtrauma
8 billion smiles in the world, but his is my favor 8 billion smiles in the world, but his is my favorite. 

Happy Valentine’s Day, @daeinexplains 🥰

The last 20 years with you have been my favorite years on this earth. ❤️ 

If I did anything right in my life, it was when I decided to give my heart to you.  You are my best friend, my soul mate, my better half, my rock, my everything. 

I love you.

#couplegoals #marriedlife #motherhoodthroughinstagram #weddingday #marriagegoals #yourestilltheone
Kids love helping if you just let them!💁🏼‍ Kids love helping if you just let them!💁🏼‍♀️

This little guy always asks to help when he sees me cleaning the house, washing the floors, doing laundry, or emptying the dishwasher. That’s what I love about Montessori parenting - it allows kids to do  big jobs and in turn makes them eager to help! 

He was over the moon when we gave him the @lovevery floor mop that actually works! He uses it daily now. The mopping pad is machine washable and you can refill the fluid container on it. I usually just do water and a drop of essential oils because he loves it when everything smells clean! 😜 

Definitely recommend! If you want to grab this mop for your little helper, it’s in the Storyteller Play Kit from Lovevery for 3 year olds. 

LlNK is in my bio to get FREE shipping! 💃🏼

#lovevery #loveverytoddler #loveverypartner #montessoriathome #montessoriplayroom #montessoritoddler
Stop trying to fit your square self in a round hol Stop trying to fit your square self in a round hole. 

Sometimes we outgrown relationships. Sometimes we realize someone else isn’t a good influence on our lives. Sometimes we realize we aren’t a good influence for someone else. Sometimes we need to let things go that aren’t good for us in order to grow. And that’s ok. 

Stop trying to sit at a table you are no longer welcome at. Just be yourself, focus on God, love your family and friends, and the right people will gravitate to you. ✌🏻 

#raisingsaints #momlife #motherhoodunplugged #selflovejourney #growingpains #selfcaresunday
When your toaster breaks from a power surge you ta When your toaster breaks from a power surge you take that as a sign that it’s time to upgrade! 🤪

It wasn’t hard to pick a new 4 slice toaster. As soon as I saw this one from @haden_usa I added it to my cart. I bought it from @lordandtaylor because it had the fastest shipping and I didn’t want to wait! 

No fancy electronics, screens, or extra features we don’t need. Just simple, straight forward functions and perfect results everytime. Plus it matches all my @cafeappliances too! 😂👍🏻

What do you think of this 4 slice toaster?! 

#toasters #kitchenappliances #kitchendesign #kitchendecor #whitekitchen #farmhousekitchen #farmhousestyle #whiteappliances
I’m obsessed with these leather booties from @en I’m obsessed with these leather booties from @enjoiya! 💃🏼 

The “Steffi” in green are the perfect boots for ushering in spring weather with their delicious vintage leather and worn-in look right out of the box. I love the chunky lug soles and inside zippers to get them on and off easily. 

These are the boots you’ll want to wear again and again. And again. 

Use my coupon code BALLARD20 to get 20% off your order! Find them on www.enjoiya.com

#leatherbooties #enjoiya #italianshoes #realmomstyle #momstyle #momstyletips
All the poop shoveling doesn’t seem so bad with All the poop shoveling doesn’t seem so bad with the prices of eggs right now! 🤪 🐔 🥚 

Guess it’s ok to be a crazy chicken lady and have a homestead now! 🤣

#momlife #crazychickenlady #homesteadlife
  • Home
  • Meet Sarah
  • Contact Us
  • Disclosures & Privacy Policy

[Est 2005] Copyright © 2023 Sarah-Jean Ballard and Fashionable Media | Beloved Theme

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT
0 shares