Plans for building storage allow you to provide neatly constructed extra space that keeps tools, sports equipment, and other items safely out of the way of the other people in the house. Storage can be inside or outside, ranging from a cupboard under the stairs to a free-standing shed in the backyard. Converting interior space into a storage cabinet can be difficult if the area has any load-bearing walls or is in a strangely shaped area, like under the stairs, but new exterior storage building plans can provide a simple, freestanding storage shed that you can use for anything.    

Exterior storage, other than the garage, is usually in the form of a shed in the backyard. These can be many different sizes, and the sheds can be basic storage units that just hold things, without windows, or they can be workshop-type sheds that have windows and space for things like desks and built-in bookshelves. Some of these storage building plans can be quite elaborate, but most are rather basic and can be modified via furniture and decorations.    

Storage building plans provide eventual space for storing things, of course, but they can also form the basic structure needed for a studio for art, writing, music, or something else. If you want a meditation space, you can take storage building plans and create a small shed that gives you the quiet, isolated space you need to meditate.    

When looking at storage building plans, you will find plans to build sheds from scratch, as well as plans that require that you buy a kit that you put together. Each has its advantages, with kits being easiest for people who are not construction savvy. You could hire a contractor to put the shed together, but that would add a rather large amount to the total cost. Buying a kit that has pre-made panels and instructions can be a fast way to solve storage problems at your home. At the same time, building your own shed from scratch lets you construct a storage space rather cheaply. Because the plans do not include pre-made walls or floors, and you have to get the supplies yourself, the plans can be much cheaper. However, you will have to have some construction knowledge to complete the shed.    

Storage building plans are available for sheds that will need electricity. If the shed will be used as a workshop or studio, you will need power for any tools, lights, recording equipment, and so on that you plan to put in there. They typically do not have things like central heating and air conditioning, although you can bring in space heaters and portable air conditioning units. The sheds can get hot in summer and cold in winter if they do not have a lot of insulation, so wiring them for electricity so you can use space heaters and air conditioners is a good idea if you plan to spend time inside the shed.    

When planning a storage shed, double-check any homeowner's association regulations. Some HOAs are so strict that they regulate what you can put in your backyard, and that could be an issue if you are planning to build a storage shed. Sometimes the regulations just cover the size or the amount of square footage the shed takes up, and other times the HOA is not concerned with what you have in your backyard.    

Adding a storage shed to your property will help you make things look much neater, and it can also provide a nice, quiet spot for you to do your own thing. Whether you meditate, paint, write, or carve pieces of wood with power tools, having a storage shed can be invaluable.