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Garage and Storage Shed Trends in the U.S., 3rd Edition
April 1, 2009
The third edition of Garage and Storage Shed Trends in the U.S. examines how the
market for garage organization products and storage sheds in the United States had
been growing at a rapid pace until the housing crisis and recession impacted sales. It
also analyzes consumers’ continued desire and need to organize their homes, and
examines reasons why this need will drive demand as the economy recovers.
The report contains updated data on the U.S. market for garage organization products
and storage sheds, including historical (2004-2008) and forecast (2008-2013) retail
sales data. In addition to sales updates, the report updates factors and trends impacting
growth, the impact of dynamic raw material prices, market and products trends,
distribution and retail trends, and consumer usage information. The report also updates
profiles of key marketers including Whirlpool, Stack On, Rubbermaid, Elfa International,
Sauder Woodworking, Schulte, Slide-Lok, Premier Garage, GarageTek, Arrow Group
Industries, and Tuff Shed.
New in the report are new product trends, key products launched in 2007 and 2008,
new marketing initiatives and trends, eco-friendly initiatives, and consumer lifestyle
trends. Also included are profiles of new marketers and ones not covered in the
previous report, such as GarageMaid, FoldAway Storage Systems, Windquest, Storage
Squared, Hercke International, RedLine Garage Gear, Tote Trac Corporation, Barrette,
Reynolds Building Systems, and Little Cottage Co.
Report Methodology
The information contained in this report was obtained from both primary and secondary
research. Primary research included consultation with executives from a variety of
industry players such as Whirlpool, Slide-Lok, Hyloft, HandiSolutions, Hafele, BH North
America, and Triton Garage. Primary research also included on-site examination of
retailers. Secondary research entailed data-gathering from myriad business sources,
including trade publications and newsletters; articles in consumer business newspapers
and magazines; government data; information from industry and non-governmental
associations, annual reports, 10Ks, and other financial releases from public companies;
and other reports by SBI. Information on new product introductions was derived
primarily from reports in the trade press and online. Analysis of consumer attitudes and

2. demographics primarily derives from secondary research and the Simmons Market
Research Bureau.
How You Will Benefit from this Report
If you are in the garage organization products or storage sheds markets or looking to
enter, or if you’re a supplier, retailer, or analyst this report is invaluable as it provides a
comprehensive package of information and insight about market, product, consumer,
and retail trends. You will gain a thorough understanding of the current market, as well
as projected markets and trends through 2013.
This report will help:
Marketing Managers identify market opportunities and develop targeted
promotion plans.
Research and development professionals stay on top of competitor initiatives and
explore demand for garage organization products and storage sheds.
Advertising agencies to develop messages and images that compel consumers
to purchase garage organization products and storage sheds
Business development executives understand the dynamics of the market and
identify possible partnerships.
Information and research center librarians provide market researchers, brand
and product managers and other colleagues with the vital information they need
to do their jobs more effectively.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Executive Summary
Scope of the Report
Methodology
Product Definitions
The Market
A Robust Market Slows Down
Figure 1-1: U.S. Sales of Garage and Shed Storage, 2004-2008 (in millions of
dollars)
Figure 1-2: Sales by Product Category, 2008 (percent)
Garage Organization Products and Sheds About 2% of Housewares
Table 1-1: U.S. Retail Sales of Housewares 2007 (in billions of dollars)
U.S. is Global Garage Organization and Shed Leader
Factors Affecting Growth
Increasing number of households
Figure 1-3: Number of U.S. Households, 2000-2008 (in millions of households)
Housing Boom Creates Demand for Organization
Easy Credit Drives Consumption

3. Larger U.S. homes but trending smaller
Americans Love Big Garages
Table 1-2: Type of Parking Facility of New One-Family Houses Completed
(percent)
Big Spenders, Non-Savers
Lower Prices Drive Spending
Bulk Buying Takes Up Space
Investing in the Home
Gardening Boosts Shed Sales
Demographics Continue To Boost Storage Need
Raw Material Prices Impact Manufacturers
Market Projections
Slower Growth in Future
Figure 1-4: Projected U.S. sales of garage and shed storage, 2008-2013 (in
billions of dollars)
The Marketers
Mergers, Acquisitions, Divestitures
Market and Product Trends
Easy Assembly Still Drives DIY Market
Specialty items continue to grow
Creating Space
Bigger is Better
Selling Value
Toughness to Appeal to Men
Aesthetics to Appeal to Women
Eco-friendly Initiatives Begin to Emerge
The Emotion of Organization
A Storage Crisis
Organization Reduces Stress
Peace of Mind
Outdoor Sheds Not Just for Garden Tools
Market Dynamics
Distribution Channels
Installed Versus DIY Trends
Installed Segment Local, Regional, Struggling
DIY Segment Stressing Price, Convenience
Retail outlets
Exclusivity
Lowe’s, Home Depot Target Women
Internet Sells, Promotes and Educates
Marketing and Promotion Trends
Contests And Sweepstakes Still Popular
Product Placement Provides Exposure
Sponsorships Generate Publicity
Spokesperson Connects with Consumers
Price Promotions Stress Value

4. Dealer Incentives Encourage Sales
Leveraging Partnerships Extends Reach
Selling Homebuilders and Home Sellers
Branding Continues to Be Important
Licensing Popular Brands
Some Store Brand Activity
Branding Commodities
Shed Brands Communicate Functionality
The Consumer
Same Percentage of Households Spend More and Less Than $1,000 Annually
on Home Improvements
Sixty Percent of Households Do It Themselves with Home Improvements
Other Spaces Higher Priorities Than Garage
Younger Families With Higher Incomes, Advanced Educations Tend to Remodel
Basements, Attics and Garages
Purchase of Storage Sheds Remains Steady
Majority of Households Spend More Than $500 on Sheds
75% of Households Assemble and Install Sheds Themselves
Older Boomers With Larger Families, Young Children More Likely to Have
Bought Sheds
Southeast is Strongest Region for Sheds
Boomers and College Graduates More Likely to Have Bought Garage Doors
Central Region Strongest for Garage Doors
Psychographic Traits of Remodelers and Shed Buyers
Consumers Want Quality, Performance and Closet Storage
Consumers Value Quality and Performance Most
Closet Storage Most in Demand
Consumers Do Want Large, Organized Garages
Listening to Women
Enormous Purchasing Power
She Wants to Eliminate Clutter
Builders Take “Women-Centric” Approach
Do-It-Herself
Consumers Say They Want Green Products
Consumers Want But Don’t Often Buy Green
Organization Calms Consumers
Empty Nest Not So Empty
Empty Nesters Downsizing
Boomerangers Come Home
A Fuller House for the Sandwich Generation
Chapter 2: The Market
Scope of the Report
Methodology
Product Definitions
The Market
A Robust Market Slows Down

5. Figure 2-1: U.S. Sales of Garage and Shed Storage, 2004-2008 (in millions of
dollars)…
Figure 2-2: Sales by Product Category, 2008 (percent)
Garage Organization Products and Sheds About 2% of Housewares
Table 2-1: U.S. Retail Sales of Housewares 2007 (in billions of dollars)
Regional Differences
Figure 2-3: New One Family Houses Sold, Percent with Basements, 2007
U.S. is Global Garage Organization and Shed Leader
Factors Affecting Growth
Increasing number of households
Figure 2-4: Number of U.S. Households, 2000-2008 (households in millions)
Housing Boom Creates Demand for Organization
Table 2-2: Percent of Home Ownership, 1990-2008
Figure 2-5: U.S. Quarterly Homeownership Rates, 2004-2008 (percent)
Table 2-3: Annual Existing Home Sales, 2002-2008
Table 2-4: Annual New Home Sales/Median Annual Sales Price, 1995-2008
Table 2-5: Quarterly House Price Appreciation, 2005-2008 (percent)
Table 2-6: Annual Housing Starts 2000-2008, Single Family Homes
Easy Credit Drives Consumption
Figure 2-6: Average Mortgage Rates, 2005-2008 (percent)
Figure 2-7: First-Time Home Buyer Index in U.S., 2005-2008 (index)
Figure 2-8: Consumer Credit in U.S., 2003-2008 (in billions of dollars)
Figure 2-9: Home Mortgage Borrowing in U.S., 2003-2008 (in billions of dollars)
Larger U.S. homes but trending smaller
Table 2-7: Median Square Feet of Floor Area, New One Family Houses, 1985-
2007
Americans Love Big Garages
Table 2-8: Type of Parking Facility of New One-Family Houses Completed
(percent)
Big Spenders, Non-Savers
Table 2-9: Personal Income and Its Disposition, 2001-2008 (in billions of dollars)
Figure 2-10: U.S. Quarterly Personal Consumption Expenditures and Gross
Domestic Product, 2005-2008 (in billions of dollars)
Lower Prices Drive Spending
Figure 2-11: Consumer Price Index (CPI) Department Store Durable Goods, Dec.
1998-Jan. 2009
Bulk Buying Takes Up Space
Table 2-10: Club Store Sales and Membership, 2002-2008 (in billions of dollars
and millions of members)
Investing in the Home
Table 2-11: U.S. Average Annual Consumer Expenditures, 2006 (percent)
Table 2-12: Annual Home Remodeling Expenditures, 1995-2008 (in billions of
dollars)
Table 2-13: Home Improvement Products Sales (in billions of dollars)
Self Storage Decline Could Boost Home Storage
Gardening Boosts Shed Sales

6. Demographics Continue To Boost Storage Need
Raw Material Prices Impact Manufacturers
Figure 2-12: Producer Price Index (PPI) of Crude Petroleum, 2005-Jan. 2009
Figure 2-13: Producer Price Index (PPI) of Plastics Material & Resins
Manufacturing, 2004-Jan. 2009
Figure 2-14: Producer Price Index (PPI) of Metals and Metal Products, 2005-Jan.
2009
Figure 2-15: Producer Price Index (PPI) of Lumber and Wood Products, 2005-
Jan 2009
Market Projections
Slower Growth in Future
Figure 2-16: Projected U.S. Sales of Garage and Shed Storage, 2008-2013 (in
billions of dollars)
Figure 2-17: Number of U.S. Households, 2007-2010 (in millions of households)
Chapter 3: The Marketers
Mergers, Acquisitions, Divestitures
Whirlpool Corporation
Overview
Products
Table 3-1: Gladiator GarageWorks Products
Promotion
Stack-On Products Company
Overview
Products
Table 3-2: Stack-On Products
Sauder Woodworking
Overview
Products
Table 3-3: Sauder Woodworking Garage Organization Products
Newell Rubbermaid Inc.
Overview
Performance
Table 3-4: Newell Rubbermaid’s Sales 2004-2008 (in millions of dollars)
Table 3-5: Newell Rubbermaid Sales Composition, 2008 (in millions of dollars
and percent of total)
Product portfolio
Table 3-6: Rubbermaid Garage and Shed Storage Products
Distribution
Advertising and Promotion
Stanley ZAG
Overview
Products
Table 3-7: Stanley ZAG Garage Organization Products
Storage Squared
Overview
Table 3-8: Storage Squared Products

7. GarageMaid
Overview
Table 3-9: GarageMaid Products
FoldAWay Storage Systems
Overview
Table 3-10: FoldAWay Storage Systems Products
Emerson Electric Co
Company Profile
Performance
Product portfolio
Table 3-11: Emerson Electric Garage Organization Products
Distribution
California Closets
Overview
Performance
Product portfolio
Table 3-12: California Closets Garage Organization Products
Advertising and Promotion
Elfa
Overview
Performance
Product portfolio
Table 3-13: Elfa Garage Organization Products
Strategy and Positioning
Distribution
Schulte Corporation
Overview
Products
Table 3-14: Schulte Garage Organization Products
Distribution
Promotion
Windquest Companies
Overview
Products
Table 3-15: Windquest Garage Organization Products
Racor
Kevin Shaha, president of Racor
Overview
Product portfolio
Table 3-16: Racor Garage Organization Products
Slide-Lok
Overview
Products
Table 3-17: Slide-Lok Garage Organization Products
Promotion
Sterilite

8. Overview
Product portfolio
Table 3-18: Sterilite Products
Home Products International
Overview
Product portfolio
Table 3-19: Home Products International Organization Products
Myers Industries, Inc
Overview
Products
Table 3-20: Myers Industries Products
Iris USA
Overview
Product portfolio
Table 3-21: Iris USA Products
HyLoft Inc
Overview
Products
Table 3-22: Hyloft Products
BH North America
Overview
Table 3-23: BH North America Products
Storewall LLC
Overview
Promotion
Products
Table 3-24: Storewall Products
HandiSolutions
Overview
Table 3-25: HandiSolutions Organization Products
Spacewall International
Overview
Products
Table 3-26: Spacewall International Products
Redline Garage Gear
Overview
Products
Table 3-27: Redline Garage Gear Products
Gracious Living Industries
Overview
Products
Table 3-28: Gracious Living Home Organization Products
Bald Head Cabinets
Overview
Products
Table 3-29: Bald Head Products

9. Diamond Life
Overview
Products
Table 3-30: Diamond Life Products
RSI Home Products
Overview
Products
Table 3-31: RSI Garage Organization Products
ModuLine
Overview
Products
Table 3-32: ModuLine Products
Hercke International, LLC.
Overview
Products
Table 3-33: Hercke International Products
GarageTek Inc
Overview
Products
Table 3-34: GarageTek Products
House Wall Garage System
Overview
Products
Table 3-35: House Wall Garage System Products
Premier Garage
Overview
Promotion
Products
Table 3-36: Premier Garage Products
Vault
Overview
Products
Table 3-37: Vault Products
Arrow Group Industries
Overview
Products
Table 3-38: Arrow Group Products
Duramax Building Products
Overview
Products
Table 3-39: Duramax Products
Suncast Corporation
Overview
Products
Table 3-40: Suncast Products
Tuff Shed Inc

10. Overview
Promotion
Products
Table 3-41: Tuff Shed Products
Backyard Products, LLC
Overview
Products
Table 3-42: Backyard Products LLC Products
Reynolds Building Systems
Overview
Table 3-43: Reynolds Building Systems Products
Barrette
Overview
Products
Table 3-44: Barrette Products
Lifetime Products
Overview
Products
Table 3-45: Lifetime Products
Outstanding Solutions Ltd
Overview
Products
Table 3-46: Outstanding Solutions Products
Step 2 Company
Overview
Products
Table 3-47: Step 2 Storage Products
Finley Products
Overview
Table 3-48: Finley Products
Little Cottage Company
Overview
Table 3-49: Little Cottage Company Products
Chapter 4: Market and Product Trends
Easy Assembly Still Drives DIY Market
Hercke Cabinets Assembled In Seconds
GarageMaid’s Interlocking Connections
EZup Easy to Assemble Sheds
Specialty items continue to grow
Gladiator Claw
Organizing Totes
Creating Space
Off The Wall
New Way to Store on Walls
Easier Access
Cabinetry Storage

11. Loft-It In The Air
Bigger is Better
Selling Value
Toughness to Appeal to Men
Truck-bed toughness comes to storage cabinetry
Steel signals strength
Heavy duty
Powder Coating
Aesthetics to Appeal to Women
Design and Style
Color
Eco-friendly initiatives begin to emerge
Garage Envy Green Garage
Premier Garage PG Green
Windquest EcoElements
Slide-Lok’s Eco-Friendly Plywood
Eco-Nize is Eco-Friendly
Homz Hybrid Collection
The Emotion of Organization
A Storage Crisis
Organization Reduces Stress
Peace Of Mind
Outdoor sheds not just for garden tools
New Product Introductions
Table 4-1: Select Garage Organization Products and Shed Introductions
Chapter 5: Market Dynamics
Distribution Channels
Installed Versus DIY Trends
Installed Segment Local, Regional, Struggling
DIY Segment Stressing Price, Convenience
Retail Outlets
Exclusivity
Lowe’s, Home Depot Target Women
Internet Sells, Promotes and Educates
Marketing and Promotion Trends
Contests and Sweepstakes Still Popular
Product Placement Provides Exposure
Sponsorships Generate Publicity
Spokesperson Connects with Consumers
Price Promotions Stress Value
Dealer Incentives Encourage Sales
Leveraging Partnerships Extends Reach
Selling Homebuilders and Home Sellers
Branding Continues to Be Important
Licensing Popular Brands
Some Store Brand Activity

12. Branding Commodities
Shed Brands Communicate Functionality
Chapter 6: The Consumer
Same Percentage of Households Spend More and Less Than $1,000 Annually
on Home Improvements
Figure 6-1: Total Home Improvement Spending (percent of households)
Sixty Percent of Households Do It Themselves with Home Improvements
Figure 6-2: Who Does Home Improvement (percent of households)
Other Spaces Higher Priorities than Garage
Table 6-1: Households Added or Remodeled Garage, 2006 and 2008 (percent of
households)
Younger Families with Higher Incomes, Advanced Educations Tend to Remodel
Basements, Attics and Garages
Table 6-2: Demographic Profile of People who Remodeled
Basement/Attic/Garage, 2008 (index)
Purchase of Storage Sheds Remains Steady
Table 6-3: Home Improvement Purchases, 2006 and 2008 (percent of
households)
Majority of Households Spend More Than $500 on Sheds
Figure 6-3: Amount Spent on Storage Sheds (percent of households)
Figure 6-4: Storage Shed Spending Compared to Garage Products, 2008
(percent of households)
75% of Households Assemble and Install Sheds Themselves
Figure 6-5: Installation of Sheds and Garage Products (percent of households)
Older Boomers with Larger Families, Young Children More Likely to Have Bought
Sheds
Table 6-4: Demographic Profile of People Buying Storage Sheds, 2008 (index)
Southeast is Strongest Region for Sheds
Figure 6-6: Storage Shed Purchases by Region, 2006 and 2008
Boomers and College Graduates More Likely to Have Bought Garage Doors
Table 6-5: Demographic Profile of People Buying Garage Doors, 2008 (index)
Central Region Strongest for Garage Doors
Figure 6-7: Garage Door Purchase by Region, 2006 and 2008
Psychographic Traits of Remodelers and Shed Buyers
Table 6-6: Psychographic Traits of Remodelers and Shed Buyers (index)
Consumers Want Quality, Performance and Closet Storage
Consumers Value Quality and Performance Most
Table 6-7: Most Important Factor When Purchasing Storage Products, 2008
(percent)
Closet Storage Most In Demand
Table 6-8: Home Area Where Consumers Will Most Likely Use New Storage
Container, 2008 (percent)
Consumers Do Want Large, Organized Garages
Listening to Women
Enormous Purchasing Power
She Wants to Eliminate Clutter

13. Builders Take “Women-Centric” Approach
Do-It-Herself
Consumers Say They Want Green Products
Consumers Want But Don’t Often Buy Green
Organization Calms Consumers
Empty Nest Not So Empty
Empty Nesters Downsizing
Boomerangers Come Home
A Fuller House for the Sandwich Generation
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