Getting Started with the Small Hose Reel Idea

Alright, so let me tell you about this little project I tackled – the small hose reel. For ages, I’d been tripping over my regular garden hose, or rather, the beast of a reel it was supposed to live on. It was always a mess, especially since I only have a small patio area. Just too much hose, too much reel, you know?

The Hunt and The Decision

So, I figured, there’s got to be a better way. I started looking around. First, I thought about making something myself, get all crafty. Scrolled through a bunch of DIY ideas online. Some looked pretty neat, others… well, let’s just say they looked like they’d fall apart if you looked at them too hard. Then I checked out the local hardware stores. Lots of options, sure, but the really compact ones either felt super cheap and flimsy, or they cost an arm and a leg for what they were. I wasn't looking to break the bank for something to just hold a short bit of hose.

Finally, after a bit of digging, I found this little fella. Not a DIY, but a ready-made small hose reel. It wasn’t anything fancy, just a simple, compact plastic thing, designed to hold maybe 25-30 feet of a lightweight hose. Perfect for my needs. The main thing was its size and the promise of no more tangles.

Putting it All Together (The "Fun" Part)

So, I got it home. The assembly, if you could even call it that, was pretty straightforward. It came in a couple of pieces. Snapped the handle on, that sort of thing. The real "fun" was deciding where to mount it. I wanted it on the wall, out of the way. Took me a bit to find a good spot on the brickwork that wasn't too awkward to reach but also wouldn’t be an eyesore.

• First, I picked the spot. Measured twice, like they say.
• Then came the drilling. Always a bit nerve-wracking drilling into brick, hoping you don't hit anything unexpected.
• Got the wall plugs in, then screwed the mounting bracket on. Made sure it was level – can’t stand things being crooked.
• Then the reel itself just slotted onto the bracket. Easy peasy.

Winding the hose onto it for the first time was the real test. I had a shorter, more flexible hose I’d bought specifically for this. It went on smoothly. The little crank handle felt okay, not super heavy-duty, but good enough for a small hose.

The Result? So Much Better!

And let me tell you, what a difference! No more hose spaghetti junction on my patio. It’s all neatly wound up, tucked away. When I need to water the plants, I just pull out what I need, and winding it back is a breeze. It’s one of those small changes that just makes daily life a tiny bit less annoying.

Honestly, it’s not rocket science, this whole small hose reel thing. But sometimes it’s the simple solutions that bring the most satisfaction. It freed up floor space, looks way tidier, and just works. For anyone dealing with a small space or just needing a more manageable hose setup, I’d say give a small reel a thought. Definitely a good little practical upgrade I made.