I'm in zone 5, not too far off from your zone 6, and I prefer unglazed clay pots for indoor use... for outdoor use, the type of pot I use depends on what's going in it and where it will be located. Most of my huge patio planters are made of that fake terra cotta resin material... they look like clay pots, but they're much lighter and they hold moisture for a longer period of time. Those pots are in front of a 3 bay garage, facing east. I use plastic hanging baskets placed on a shepherd's hook in an area that gets a good amount of windy breeze during the summer... they don't dry out as fast as the wire and coco liner baskets. I reserve the wire baskets with coco liners for a shepherd's hook that sits in front of a building with an eastern exposure... there's very little wind, so it holds moisture a bit longer in that position. As for drainage... I make sure all my containers, whether they're clay or plastic or resin, have decent drainage holes... and if they don't, I drill more. I also make certain to add a layer of either charcoal, gravel or packing peanuts to the bottom of the containers for drainage. What I use depends on pot size. Typically, anything that holds soil has the possibility to become a planter... as long as it has holes for drainage. I wouldn't place a metal or unglazed clay container in an area that got all day sun and wind... but I think just about anything has a place in a garden as a container for plants. I think you just have to use common sense when thinking about what pots to use where, and what to plant them with.

Dee, I like your idea of putting all the small tools in a five gallon bucket and bringing it with you. I think I am going to try my version of that with a two wheeler and a small beach umbrella. I like bringing shade with me and having a two wheeler to move something if I need it. I also have a way of using the 5 gallon bucket as a work surface while sitting on a riding seat. I had fun putting the whole thing together too. Had lots of places to put things like my water bottle, etc. I did that two summers ago and I forget what happened that I didn't last year. I could move into one of those sheds tomorrow too Dee. Might make a nice get away, right in the backyard. Bring out a cooler and a comfortable chair, a few gardening magazines...make a day of it. :-) Linda, the umbrella is a nice idea when you have to use a space that is too sunny and it helps when it rains to keep things dry if you haven't got any cover. I also made a decision to try using the garage for one season and clear out an area that would be the same size as a small shed and see how it works before I commit to having a shed. sooey, you sound pretty organized to me! pm2

Patrick, even though our shower is of a decent size, I wanted the ability to completely remove/flip up which ever seat I finally chose, both for cleaning, and for space, should you not want to bang our knees on said corner bench if we became physically less adept. The bench I chose has stood up well, is warm when wet, not slippery, and is sturdy enough to use to stand on to change lightbulbs in the bathroom ceiling! I will say that originally I wanted a teak flip up bench/seat, but the costs were astronomical for the interior wall bracing, brackets, and teak seat. I'm of a heavier weight, and didn't want to pull the darn thing out of the wall, hence the extra bracing I refer to. The seat and brackets (stainless, and hinged brackets were what I was considering) were only going to be available to me from a boat building/marine grade store, and they saw me coming with my wallet open! As you've read, I finally just purchased a really nice, sturdy bench, which is perfect height for washing dogs, shaving human legs, and just sitting to towel dry hair etc after showering. Take your time, give this some thought, and realize that propping one's butt up on a slippery bit of granite should you choose it, gets old as you get old! :) I did use a cardboard box to generally get the idea of size and height I wanted for my bench...give it a try! Good luck with your project! You'll love the new shower, regardless of seating!

I got an old metal cab that had the double doors and 6ft tall. I had to sand it and prime with rustoleum and then paint. It was a LOT of work. also I made the mistake of using the reg rust color of primer. I never dreamt how much white paint it was going to take to cover the red color ! Whew it is not cheap. I wanted out local car body shop to do the whole thing,that is the best way to get it doen right..they have all the sanding and spray stuff there. They were too busy so I thought I could do it. I am glad it is done. I think 100.00 is alot if you are going to redo the paint ...it is not cheap to get all the spray paint for a project that size. Good luck and I hope your finances turn around...we are getting in the same boat....c