How much money is hiding in your shed?

Unless you've turned yours into a glamorous she shed or man cave, it's likely the wooden hut at the end of your garden is a dumping ground. But have you ever stopped to think what  your shed contents are worth?

Shed specialist BillyOh.com certainly has. Its latest survey reveals that the average British homeowner stores £2,234 worth of valuable furniture, tools and bikes in outbuildings. And the scary thing is, many of those homeowners haven't even put a padlock on their sheds to secure the contents, let alone taken out insurance in case anything gets stolen.

'Many of us use our sheds to store valuable items,' says a spokesperson for BillyOh.com. 'The good news is modern sheds are strong and can easily be secured with a simple lock but many people fail to ensure their valuables are safe. We want to remind the general public that is really is worth investing in a lock for your shed and also to check with your insurer that your shed contents are covered in your policy.

'As this research reveals, there are literally thousands of pounds worth of goods stored away in our gardens, so making sure it’s all safe and secure is vital,' they continue. 'In some cases, we’ve seen households that don’t lock their shed at all, which seems crazy when you consider the worth of the equipment they hold. Even if you have a properly secured lock on your shed’s door, they can still be broken into, so make sure your insurance properly covers the valuables you store inside.'

So what exactly do we keep in our sheds? Here's a typical list of contents:

2 x Adult bikes @£466
2 x Children's bikes @£220
4 x Bike helmets @£54
3 x Spades @£39
2 x Rakes @£30
Cordless drill @£99
Circular saw @£60
Shears @£20
Tool box @£99
Garden furniture @£300
2 x Sun loungers @130
Lawnmower @£190
Electric hedge trimmers @£80
2 x Scooters £70
2 x Roller skates @£60
3 x Outdoor games @£94
Paddling pool @£30
Car roof box @£125
Bike rack @£68

Grand total £2,234

Talk about a shedload of cash!

Luckily, now is a great time for you to do your own shed audit. Tot up what you have, before putting everything under lock and key for winter. When you have your itinerary, call up your insurer to check everything is covered by your contents policy. You may find that any property in your home is insured, but that stuff in the shed isn't. That could mean shelling out thousands to replace power tools or a top-of-the-range bike, should they get stolen.

So grab a padlock and get ready for a good old-fashioned clear out. You'll feel all the better for it!