When spring arrives, however late, it is a good time to have a look around the garden and the exterior of the house to tackle any repair jobs that might need doing. Garage racks and shelving may also be due for a spot of spring cleaning as well.

In the garden, the fence – quite often a close board fence – may have suffered a battering from the winter weather. Not to worry, they are not usually all that difficult to fix. A single board that has been broken could be replaced. You will need to remove the damaged board first. Lever it out and remove nails that have been pulled out with it. If they prove difficult to remove then hammer them flat with the horizontal triangular rail. Slip a replacement board in, making certain that the overlap is straight, then fix in place.

When metal gates and railings for the fence get rusty, they can start to look a bit shabby. The other problem, of course, is that they will begin to deteriorate. Restoring them is relatively easy. Begin by stripping away loose flakes of paint with sandpaper. You may decide to use a wire brush for this operation, in which case, don’t forget to wear goggles for safety from flying particles.

Dip a cloth in white spirit next and wipe them down before coating them with paint especially formulated to inhibit rust. Usually one coating should be sufficient, but it is always a good idea to check the instructions.

In the garage, it is sometimes a good idea to install storage racks for aerosol cans. It will mean that you are able to organise your various cans of spray paint, oil and so forth, and be able to find them easily. You might want to build one yourself or simply buy one. Either way, mounting the storage racks onto the garage wall above workbenches, for example, will keep the cans in one place.

Now, where you place these garage racks is quite important. You should be careful about allowing direct light onto them. Therefore if your garage has a window, try to attach the rack to the garage wall where light will not fall onto them. When the can are empty, please dispose of them responsibly.

Storage racks in the kitchen are useful in quite a few ways. A spice rack will be the ideal place to store your various jars of herbs and spices. The added bonus is that they can be quickly examined to check if you are running low on your supply. Some racks will even hang on the inside of a kitchen cupboard door.

Sharp kitchen knives should be stored in a safe place, where they are easy to locate. They must not be hidden from immediate view in a drawer under other objects or left lying around on kitchen work surfaces, especially when there are children in the home. Magnetic or wooden knife racking is useful and easily mounted on the wall.