Rated How to Organize Your Garage
Is your garage getting overwhelming? For many people, a garage isn’t just a place they put their car. In fact, some don’t put their car in their garage at all. Instead, a garage becomes a place for additional storage, holiday supplies, and tools. If your garage has started becoming overly unwieldy, it may be time to organize. Here are a few organization tips that can make the process easier.
Move and Sort the Contents of Your Garage
Organizing your garage begins with emptying it out. First you need to know what’s actually in your garage. Spend a day sorting through the items in your garage, even if it means that you need to put them out on the lawn. You should group up any similar items and try to create themes. Tools, household supplies, and old toys would all be in separate piles. Once everything has been sorted, you can spend the time to determine the things that you really need to keep in your garage. There may be some items — such as holiday decorations — that are better off stored in the attic.
Throw Out Anything You No Longer Need
Cleaning out your garage is an excellent time to have a yard sale. While you’re organizing your items, you should set aside all of the items that you no longer need. It can be difficult to determine what to sell, but just ask yourself a few questions: Is the item sentimental in nature? Have you used it within the last year? Would you need to replace it if it was gone? If you find that the item no longer serves a purpose in your household, you may be able to recover some cash by simply selling it to a neighbor.
Create a Storage Plan Based on Your Items
At this point, you should have a pretty clear idea of what you actually need to store inside of your garage. Take a sheet of paper and draw a layout based on these items. The goal should be to organize everything as efficiently as possible. Your equipment should be stored with other equipment, your tools should be stored with other tools, and any hobby supplies should be sorted with the other hobby supplies. Don’t forget to include any work areas if you often work directly in your garage!
Label and Box Absolutely Everything
The easiest way to keep your garage organized is to label everything and keep it in its own container. If it’s something that’s loose, you should box it. That way you won’t need to go through multiple items every time you need something; instead, you’ll not only always know where something is, but you’ll also know where to put it back once you’re done with it. The more consistent your storage is, the easier it will be to keep organized. Clear plastic bins are usually the best way to box things, as they can be easily stacked.
Invest in Vertical and Ceiling Storage
Before you start putting your items away, you may want to consider investing in built-in vertical and ceiling storage. Many garages are cluttered not because they have a lot of things but because all of these items are placed directly on the ground or stacked against walls. Shelves, hooks, and hanging implements will all vastly increase the amount of actual storage space you have in your garage, reducing clutter and making it easier to find things.
Don’t worry — once you get your garage properly organized, keeping it organized will be a much easier process. Just make sure to take the time to re-organize once a month, and you’ll be able to keep everything in its proper place. Built-in storage and shelving can really help when you have a lot of items that you need to keep in your garage. You can contact Action Garage Door today to find out more about your storage options.
