How To Move a Garden Shed – Tools & Equipment

Moving a toolbox is one thing. Learning how to move a shed is a bit more involved. Safely moving your tools and equipment and organising hazardous waste disposal will take time and effort. We should know – we’ve been helping people all over Sydney relocate their belongings, from the contents of their garage to an entire backyard garden shed.

But since you’re clearly committed to relocating your tools, you won’t mind following along with us as we teach you how to move a garden shed, plus all your gardening equipment and everything else you keep in there.

If you’ve got battery-powered tools or any heavy-duty equipment, you’ll also need to worry about the disposal of hazardous waste and materials such as fuel and oil. Even batteries need to be disposed of properly.

Preparing Your Tools

Gardening tools and equipment come in a range of shapes and sizes. Prepare them for the move by bundling similar tools together in groups. Separate any necessary tools you may need for packing and unpacking.

Now is also an excellent time to inspect your tools for damage. You should throw away anything you can’t fix or devices past their prime or donate any unwanted items or duplicates you may own to lighten your load. You could even organise a garage sale for unwanted power tools, gardening equipment, and everything else you want to throw away.

Protecting Your Tools

Once you’ve consolidated your gardening tools and equipment, give them a clean before wrapping them up with proper packing materials, like:

• Bubble wrap for protecting items 
• Packing paper for filling in gaps
• Moving blankets for large pieces
• Moving boxes – which you can hire directly from Smoothmoves!
• Packing tape

The best way to pack larger gardening tools is to tie them together with a rope or tape before wrapping them in moving blankets and more packing tape. Remember not to bundle up too many tools together, as this will make loading them more difficult.

Power tools that run on fuel must have their tanks emptied before the move to avoid leaks or spills. Batteries should also be removed and packed separately. The original packaging is always preferred. Otherwise, a small box with padding is sufficient.

We go over plenty more tips and tricks to protect your belongings in our Ultimate Packing Guide for Moving. 

Safe Disposal of Dangerous Goods

In NSW,  the EPA regulates the transport of dangerous goods–substances and objects that pose acute risks to people, property and the environment due to their chemical or physical characteristics.

Dangerous goods transported in smaller containers such as drums, jerricans or gas cylinders with individual capacities that do not exceed  500 L or 500 kg do not require the driver or vehicle to have a dangerous goods licence, regardless of the aggregate quantity of hazardous goods. 

Check with your local council for dangerous goods, chemicals and hazardous waste disposal options. 

Household Chemical CleanOut

There are different recycling and disposal methods for toxic types of waste. One option that is entirely off the table is your household bin. Never, and we mean NEVER, put hazardous chemicals in your household bins. 

If you have dangerous goods to dispose of, visit the Household Chemical CleanOut website or call the NSW environment line on 131 555 to find a drop-off location. 

Items that can be disposed of at a chemical drop-off event include:

• solvents and household cleaners
• paints and thinners
• pesticides and herbicides
• poisons
• pool chemicals
• motor oils, fuels and fluids
• acids and alkalis
• light globes
• hobby chemicals such as photographic chemicals
• printer ink and toner cartridges
• gas bottles
• fire extinguishers
• fluorescent lamps
• smoke alarms
• cooking oils

The maximum container size for chemical drop-off events is 20kg or 20L per item, except for paint. You can dispose of up to 100L in total using 20L containers.

You can also recycle any brand of AA, AAA, C, D and 9V batteries at any Aldi or Battery World store. Old car batteries can be disposed of at a chemical drop-off event, car workshops, scrap metal dealers and service stations.

The Grass Is Smoother On The Other Side

If this all sounds too much for you, and learning how to move a garden shed is going to be more work than you have time for, call the professionals. Our expert home removalists streamline the moving house process so you can focus on setting into your new home.

Learn more about our residential removalist service today.