The room of shame – that one area in your home that seems to be a catch all for items that you don’t know what to do with… THE GARAGE.
The space in our home that should be used as a parking spot for our vehicles has become a spot for everything else. So if your car stays parked outside or you would do anything to avoid opening the garage door, it’s time… for garage organization 101!
De clutter and purge
Before you can even begin garage organization you need to declutter and purge. Donate or sell all the stuff that you no longer need. The boxes of clothes that will never fit or be back in style, the camping equipment you haven’t used in 5 years, all the out grown toys. If your schedule allows, you may want to consider a yard sale or consigning the better items.
Make a plan
Once you can see all the items that will be staying in your garage, you will need to make a garage organization plan. Consider doing a layout on paper. Think about items that will need to be stored and accessed frequently. Tools, sporting goods, household items, and yard tools should be in an easy access area as opposed to holiday decor that can be stored in a more “permanent” area of the garage. You may need to measure walls, storage areas and large items that are to be stored just to confirm everything will fit properly.
Organize
After you make a plan for where everything will go, it is time to get to the fun part… ORGANIZING! You can be as simple or as fancy as you want when it comes to garage organization. There are so many products, shelving units, and cabinetry out there that the options are endless. Make sure you consider what is right for your space and budget. As with any other space in your house, always organize like with like. Put all tools together, cleaning supplies, yard tools, etc. Make “departments” so when you need to go “shopping” for something you will know what department to look in.
Label Label Label
Now that you have all your items contained and on shelves or in cabinets, label the contents of each container or the shelves themselves. DO NOT write directly on the container. Use a label maker or tape and a sharpie so you can reuse the same container again without confusion. Be precise when labeling as to what you have stored in the bins, especially if you have a large amount of one thing. We recommend using clear bins to help easily identify your stored items.
Maintain Maintain Maintain
We cannot say enough how important it is to maintain your space. A clean and organized garage can quickly become cluttered and messy. A typical garage has so many purposes and is the home to many different items we use every day. Placing items back in their “home” when you are finished with them will save frustrations in the future.
A few of our favorite products for your garage organizing project.
Can you park in your garage? If not we can help!