2025 Fall Homeland | Shedding Stress, Adding Space

While sheds have always been a way for people to declutter their house or garage, the industry has seen vast changes since COVID.  

Cultural and lifestyle shifts such as homesteading, working from home, and homeschooling have driven up the need for extra space outside of the home.  

“COVID was a big game changer for the industry, and that’s because everybody all of a sudden had a lot of extra time on their hands and they were at home. And then the stimulus checks also kind of opened up opportunity for people to do some projects around the house or create more space and opportunities,” said Jesse Tyrrell, General Manager of Colorado Shed Company.  

Play, Learn, Work 

Five years after the pandemic, popularity in working from home and homeschooling continues to grow. Many opt to do their work and school in a separate space from their home, and sheds are a simple solution.  

“We’ve seen quite an increase in finished out spaces,” Tyrrell said. “People that homeschool their children will do a classroom. We’ve also seen a big influx in offices because working remotely has become way more common and accepted by employers and way more appealing to employees.”  

“As shed offices are becoming more popular, people are becoming more innovative. I am talking to a customer right now that wants to put an electric wall-mounted fireplace in his office. And so if we decide we want to do that, then all of a sudden now we went from being framers to interior finish trim carpenters. And so we’ve actually hired people that customers are willing to pay north of $20,000 for a space,” Tyrrell said.  

The degree to which a shed is finished is up to each client, giving each person the flexibility to customize their space.  

“Our projects are very budget friendly compared to building a whole new house [or addition],” said Tyrrell. 

More finished sheds are also used for workshops, where clients have space for various creative pursuits, including woodworking, quilting, leatherworking, crafts, and more.  

Others have turned their sheds into temporary living spaces called “glamp-sites.”  

“They’re little non-plumbed dwellings for people who just need a place to sleep while driving through,” said Tyrrell.  

Outdoor Living 

Since COVID, people are striving to get outdoors and live in closer proximity to the land. Gardening and animal ownership have become more popular, driving the need for extra space out of the weather.  

“The homestead trends have really helped out this industry because people are willing to do hobby farms, even if it’s not a profitable operation. [This has driven up the need for] greenhouses, animal shelters, and things like that. The homestead process and the lifestyle have become pretty popular for people,” said Tyrrell. 

Starter greenhouses have risen in popularity.  

“I think when there was this realization that the shelves in the store aren’t guaranteed to be full all the time, people really wanted to take intentional steps into becoming a little more self-sustaining. If you can do your tomatoes, get those started before the season and have stuff growing, I think that offers peace of mind.” 

“What’s nice about our greenhouses is they come already assembled. You can buy greenhouse kits online. There are so many options out there. Typically, what we run into is people have tried the kit, and it just doesn’t withstand the Colorado weather. 

Starter greenhouses are perfect for getting a head start on one’s garden, even during unpredictable springs. When plants are mature enough and the weather is stable, transplanting them to the garden is a simple process.  

Families producing their own food can take shape in numerous ways.  

“There’s something romantic to going out and picking up the eggs that you eat for breakfast from the coop,” said Tyrrell. He believes parents enjoy giving their children purpose beyond screens, and chicken chores are simple and meaningful. “A lot of families say, ‘This coop is for our kids’ chickens.'” He believes family orientation is a big driver for the rise in chicken ownership and coop sales.     

For the hobby farmer or horse owner, various kinds of sheds offer shelter and storage.  

“People deeply care about their animals, and so we want to make sure we’re providing them with a structure so that they have peace of mind that their animals are really protected in the elements of Colorado,” said Tyrrell.  

Pole barns, loafing sheds, and tack sheds are a few options for the livestock owner to provide comfort and convenience for their animals. “We like to be a one-stop shop for people to where if a family wants to take on a project of having livestock, then we want to be able to help them all the way to where their property is ready to receive their livestock,” said Tyrrell.  

One innovation that Tyrrell’s company has implemented is making sheds ready for solar panels upon delivery.  
 

“People will buy solar kits, and once the shed is delivered and we’re done, it’s pretty easy for them to install a solar package. The wiring is already installed so they can connect it to their batteries,” he said.  

Simplifying 

A steady baseline of customers has continual need for simple storage.  

“We’re seeing people who want to remove clutter, want to simplify life. They don’t want their things to be beaten up by the Colorado weather, and so they’ll store their lawnmowers or ATVs or bicycles, seasonal things in their sheds.”  

“I think people are tired of being anxious,” reflected Tyrrell. “And so we’re seeing an overcorrection from the hustle and bustle of the city life. And especially in Colorado, you have a lot of people from out of state, but they love the nature and the geography of Colorado. And I think they want space that is their own. If it’s their garage, they want to make it accessible, so they’ll buy a shed to empty out their garage.”  

Another trend with the rising cost of living is multi-generational living, thus the need to create more space in the home.  

“People are taking in their grandparents or their parents, and they have to clear out the guest bedroom of all the things they store in there.”  

Whether a shed is for a blossoming hobby or education of children, these little buildings can make a big difference for anyone seeking to de-stress, de-clutter, and get back to living.