Even Musical Geniuses Need a Place to Practice

Creating music is something that enriches lives. Those who play or sing find solace and release in their instruments and the people who hear them will often be transported by what they experience; however, that doesn't mean that the house is a good place to practise most of the time. 

Whether you are playing host to your aspiring band's efforts at professional success, trying to give your son a place to play his new drum set without the migraines, or even setting up a small recording studio, the house is often just an impractical option. Not only is there usually not enough room, but the noise can be troublesome, even if the quality of the music is good. One of the best ways to get around the problem is to build a structure to accommodate your needs. After all, the term "garage band" exists for a reason. 

Why is building an extra structure a good idea, you ask? Isn't that just a waste of time and money? Well, that depends on how dedicated you are to the music you produce and how useful the building will be to you otherwise. In terms of cost, though, it doesn't have to be. Here are some of the advantages to having a place for your musical endeavours: 
 

Space

That extra bedroom or basement area will probably become crowded with instruments and equipment if you practise there, making it effectively useless for anything else. And the more equipment that you have the more inconvenient and potentially dangerous the undertaking may become (think about all those wires!). Having a space set aside allows you to ensure optimal safety and as much room as you need to fit people, instruments, and even recording and mixing equipment. 

Insulation

One of the best things about our structures is that they are customisable in terms of more than just colour, size and shape; we also offer insulation. Aside from the fact that this will make the building more comfortable in the winter, it also serves the additional function of blocking sound. That will come in handy when your son decides to take up the drums -- you can avoid having the neighbours call the police with noise complaints.

Economy

Building a space for musical projects doesn't have to cost you your entire savings. Everything from our garages to our American barns is priced reasonably, especially when compared with the wood and brick alternatives. In addition, when or if you ever stop using the space for band/practise/recording, you can always convert it into useful storage space, a workshop, etc. so that the investment won't go to waste.

Trying to Turn your Hobby into a Business? You Probably Need a Place to Work

Up until a few years ago, people with crafting talents largely confined their efforts to themselves and the people that they knew: mothers would make clothing for their children; sisters would make jewellery for their siblings and cousins; fathers would make toys for their sons. Very few people actually went to the trouble of trying to sell the things that they created, often because there was simply no good way to market their items to a large audience and owning a shop required a physical location. 

However, advancing technology and Internet connectivity have changed all of that in a few spare years. Where once a small-town crafter would have virtually no way to get the word out about his or her products, sites like Etsy have made it easy and convenient to attain visibility in the global community. People can literally make something, take a few pictures of it on a smartphone, and sell it online to someone on the other side of the planet. 

With these easier ways to sell, many crafters have been able to take what was merely a hobby, and turn it into lucrative income that helps to keep themselves and their family afloat. People who are thinking of taking their skills to that next level may need to upgrade their workspaces to accommodate the larger volume of orders that they are planning to take. And while a spare room can be a decent place to work, it may not offer enough space or be able to handle the messiness of the job. 

That's where garage kits come in. Garage kits are a smart and easy way to create a workspace fit for any project, from steampunk clothing designs and hand-thrown and painted vases to welded lawn sculptures. Here are the three reasons that a garage kit is a smart workspace option.

1. It's customisable- A workshop will need to be designed with the specific craft in mind. For instance, if one is going to make the above mentioned lawn sculptures, having a ceiling that's high enough to accommodate them is a necessity. Perhaps natural light would be useful and skylights and windows located at key parts of the building would help. Tools and equipment will all need to fit inside of the building, as well. Additionally, the structure can be designed to complement the colour, roof pitch, and style of the home that it will share space with, giving it aesthetic (as well as utilitarian) functions.
2. It's Easy to Assemble- A garage kit that can be erected over the weekend is one that a crafter can begin to use right away. If timeliness is an issue, why wait for the weeks that it might take to have a brick and mortar structure put in place?
3. It's a LOT Cheaper- Many at-home crafters are selling online precisely because they cannot afford the upkeep associated with a physical store. If one cannot afford a rental, then having an expensive workshop built may not be fiscally possible either. For those that need to expand their workspaces with a reliable structure, but can't afford anything extravagant, a garage kit is the best solution.

The world of online sales has made it possible for people to get their products to consumers that they never would have been able to reach before. By having an adequate space for crafting, these individuals can expand their offerings and perhaps become the self-starters that they've always dreamed of being.

Essentials for your Potting Shed

When creating a space for your gardening projects, you'll have quite a few decisions to make. Once you've already browsed steel garages and sheds, checked out window options, and chosen whether or not to lay stones for a walkway, you'll need to furnish your structure. But what do you need? There are so many ideas online that just looking at them makes you a little dizzy, and then many of them are way too elaborate for your budget.

Don't panic! Before you worry about putting floral hangings on the walls and adding stained glass to the windows, here are some absolute necessities that you should get squared away.

A Table

You'll need this when you are doing the plant potting that the shed is named for, as it's a heck of a lot easier than bending down and doing it all on the ground. Many people have more than one table, often set up against the walls to be used as makeshift counters. They should be made of materials that are either easy to clean or that you don't mind getting dirty. If you're looking to save money, consider using an appropriately-sized salvaged dresser with the drawers taken out and shelving put in.

Shelving

Speaking of shelving, you'll want to have as much of it as you practically can in your shed. Empty walls and spots over your tables can be taken up by basic wooden shelves that will hold everything from pots, fertiliser and bags of gardening soil to watering cans, germination kits, and an assortment of seeds in jars. Keeping organised is, after all, the key to a good garden, and that starts in the potting shed.

Hooks

Shelving isn't the only kind of storage that matters. There are quite a few tools and other accessories that hardly lend themselves to being placed in baskets or on shelves. Hooks are a great way to manage items like gardening hats and jackets, oddly-shaped tools like spades and clippers, and drying herbs.

A Bench or Stool

It may seem obvious to say so, but you really should get a bench or stool that sits comfortably at the level of at least one of your tables. Standing for long periods while planting and preparing can be tiring, even for the young and hale, and many of the people who enjoy gardening are older. Benches are solid and often offer extra space for multiple people, but a stool offers easy manoeuvrability. Pick the one that suits your needs best!

A Sink

If you have the money for this one, a sink is an incredibly useful addition to any gardening shed. Having one will allow you to water the flowers with ease before or as you plant them (immediate watering is crucial for the newly-planted) and without having to trek across the yard to find the hose. In addition, you'll be able to wash your hands when you've gotten them so dirty that you don't want to touch the doorknobs to get into the house.

No matter how old you are or what kind of life you lead, gardening can be incredibly therapeutic and rewarding. However, in order to get the best result from your efforts, having a potting shed with all of the right furnishings is key. By working hard and ensuring that you have the basic necessities, your flourishing garden can become your pride and joy (and potentially, the envy of the neighbourhood).