Garage Organization Tips
Does the mess in your garage make you recoil in horror? A sad stack of sagging cardboard boxes here, a tangled pile of rakes and hoses there. For many people, the garage is the area of the home in which misfit storage and outdoor tools are unceremoniously dumped. But this clutter is unsightly and, in some cases, can be dangerous, especially if you have children.
Now that fall has kicked off, it’s the perfect time to organize your garage, as you need to rotate out your seasonal gear. So long, watering cans and pool toys. Hello, snow shovels and snowboards.
But knowing that something needs to be done about the state of your garage is the easy part. The more difficult aspect is trying to figure out how to organize your garage. Fortunately, there are plenty of garage organization ideas that can help with the process.
1. Hold a Fall Garage Cleaning Session
One of the best garage organization tips you’ll ever get is to hold a fall purging session of any unwanted items. After all, the fewer things you have to organize, the sooner the task can be completed.Pull out a trash can and a large box and sort through everything that’s stored in your garage from the kids’ old sports gear and broken tools to snow shovels and fishing equipment. When you come across items that you forgot about, won’t use or are just plain unfixable, get rid of them. Those items that aren’t trash can be placed in the box and donated so someone else can put them to good use.
2. Create a Garage Organization Strategy
Now that you’ve gotten rid of unwanted items and clutter, it’s time to figure out how to organize your garage. Naturally, a large part of what you’ll be able to accomplish will depend on how much space you have. For example, large garages may allow enough room for tool closets or several sets of shelves. With smaller garages, on the other hand, you might have to get creative with how you use wall and ceiling space.Regardless of the size of your garage, you want to make certain you leave enough room for any vehicles that will be parked inside. Additionally, it may be helpful to take measurements and sketch out your plans when figuring out how to organize your garage.
3. Look Up For Garage Storage
If you have higher ceilings, you can make use of precious aerial real estate. Many companies make ceiling mounts into which you can slide storage bins. This is excellent for storing seasonal items that won’t be needed for several months. When the seasons change, rotate out the contents of the bins.*Disclaimer: Make certain any mounts or storage containers you install are well out of the way of your garage door when it’s open.
4. Think Vertically For Storage Options
When organizing your garage, you’ll want to try to keep the floors clear. One great way to do this is by making use of all of the spare wall space in your garage. Shelves can be used to hold storage bins, boxes, sporting equipment and so forth. In addition, you can place paints, oils and any chemical products on upper shelves so they’re well out of reach of little hands. You can either buy units or install simple shelving depending on the size of your garage.Another means of making the most out of wall space is by using pegboards. You could use one pegboard to organize tools, another to hang rakes and shovels and a third to organize cleaning supplies like brooms, mops and dusters. The pegboard possibilities are almost limitless. Bonus tip: Use a permanent marker to outline tools on their pegboard so you always know what goes where.
5. Break Out the Label Maker
Your storage will be 10 times more effective if you know what’s in every box and bin your garage holds. Label each box so that you can easily see the contents and don’t have to rummage through multiple containers to find snow boots or indoor soccer cleats. It’s also a good idea to place labels above shelves and pegboards where tools are stored, so you know where to return items.6. Keep Winter Tools Close at Hand
At this time of year, you want to think about how to organize your garage for the upcoming winter. Of course, the tools and equipment you’ll need the most will depend on what area of the country you live in.If you live in a snowier climate, pull your snow shovels, snow blowers, skis and snowboards out so that they’re easily accessible. You may also want to consider keeping a small covered trash bin filled with salt or sand near the door for those days in which the driveway gets icy.
Now you know how to organize your garage for the winter months. This is a large task, so you might want to make this a family endeavor. And if these garage organization tips have you inspired to attack other areas of your home, these clothes and shoe organization tips will come in handy.
