Alright, let me tell you about this outdoor water hose holder saga. For ages, my hose was just a disaster. Lying in a heap by the tap, looking like a snake had a party and then died there. I was constantly tripping over the thing, and it just made the whole side of the house look messy. You know how it is. I think I had one of those flimsy plastic holders once, the kind that breaks if a stiff breeze hits it. Useless.

So, I finally got fed up. Said to myself, "Right, I'm fixing this." I wasn't about to spend a ton of money on some fancy store-bought contraption. Some of them are ridiculously expensive for what they are. Nah, I figured I could probably cobble something together myself. How hard could it be, eh?

Figuring Out a Plan... Sort Of

I poked around online a bit, just to see what others had done. Lots of complicated designs, lots of stuff that looked like it'd take all weekend. My goal was simple: get the hose off the ground and make it look reasonably tidy. I decided wood was the way to go. I usually have some bits of scrap lumber kicking about from other projects, and sure enough, I found some decent pieces in the garage. Waste not, want not, as they say.

My "plan," if you can call it that, was pretty basic. Just a strong bracket thing to mount on the fence, something sturdy enough to hold a heavy hose without complaining. I wasn't about to draw up any fancy blueprints. I just kind of pictured it in my head: a couple of supports, a cross piece for the hose to loop over. Simple.

Getting My Stuff Together

So, I rummaged around and found:

• Some chunky bits of leftover 2x4. Solid stuff.
• A wider, flatter piece of wood for the part the hose would actually rest on.
• A handful of decent outdoor screws. Always good to have those on hand.
• My trusty saw, drill, a measuring tape that’s seen better days, and a pencil.

The Actual Making Of It

First job was cutting the wood. I’m always telling myself “measure twice, cut once,” but you know how it goes. I think one piece ended up a smidge too short, so I had to grab another bit and recut. A bit annoying, but par for the course when you’re making it up as you go along. I hacked out a sort of curved shape for the top piece, the bit the hose would hang on. Didn't want any sharp edges that could damage the hose, so I gave it a quick once-over with some sandpaper I found.

Then I started screwing it all together. Attached the uprights to a backer piece first, then fixed the main hose-holding arm to that. Made sure it stuck out far enough from the fence. Nothing worse than a hose holder that’s too close to the wall, so you can't actually get the hose on it properly. It was a bit fiddly trying to hold it all steady and drill pilot holes, especially when it came to mounting it on the fence post. Could’ve done with an extra pair of hands, but I wrestled it into submission. Got it good and solid. Gave it a proper shake – wasn’t going anywhere.

I didn’t bother with paint or stain immediately. The wood I used was treated, so it should hold up to the weather for a good while. Maybe I’ll slap some leftover fence paint on it next summer if I’m feeling ambitious. For now, it’s functional, and that’s what matters.

The Big Reveal (to Myself)

And then, the moment of truth! I grabbed that unruly hose, coiled it up (which felt good in itself), and hung it on my newly-minted holder. Success! It actually worked. The hose sat there, all neat and tidy. No more snake pit. It’s amazing how such a small thing can make such a difference. The side of the house instantly looked less cluttered.

Look, it’s not going to win any design awards. It’s a bit rough around the edges. But it’s strong, it does the job perfectly, and I made it myself from scraps that would have otherwise just sat in the garage. Cost me next to nothing but a bit of time. You can’t really beat that feeling. Sometimes these little practical jobs are the most satisfying. Spot a problem, bodge a solution, job done. And now, no more tripping hazard, which is a definite bonus!