One in four people who own a two-car garage don’t use it to park their cars, according to a study by the U.S. Dept. of Energy. Another third only use it for one car. Why? Too much clutter is the number one reason. While garages are a great place for storage, strategic organization can provide you with plenty of space for your stuff and your vehicles. Here are six tips for garage organization to help you tackle this project.
How To Organize A Garage – Do It All at Once
Organizing your garage is a big undertaking, but this is not the type of project that you can chip away at little by little. To optimize your chance at success, set aside a day or even a whole weekend to tackle the project.
Best Way To Begin – Start Empty
One big reason to organize your garage in a single day or weekend is that it’s helpful to start with a blank slate. Remove everything from your garage, sweep the cobwebs away from the corners, and sort everything into groups of like objects. Then go through and decide what to keep, toss, and donate. Decluttering what you don’t need is a key strategy to effective garage organization.
Where To Put Stuff From The Garage – Store Elsewhere
Another way to cut down on garage clutter is to consider what items in your garage should really be stored elsewhere. Paint, for example, can be ruined by extremely hot or cold temperatures, which means that the basement or an interior storage closet may be a better place for it. Pet food and paper goods can attract unwanted pests of both the insect and mammal variety, so keep these things out of the garage when you can, too.
Garage Storage – Create a Floorplan
Once you’ve cut down on items to store in your garage, it’s time to designate a home for everything. Draw up a floorplan of where each category of items should go, taking into account frequency of use. A bike you ride daily should be stored in an easily-accessible spot near the garage door, whereas seasonal décor you only need to access once a year can be tucked in a back corner.
Decluttering A Garage – Install Storage Solutions
Part of your game plan for garage organization will be installing storage solutions to help maximize space. Take advantage of vertical space with open shelves for boxes, peg boards for hanging tools, and racks for shovels, rakes, and other long-handled tools. Don’t forget about overhead storage! Your garage ceiling might be the perfect spot to keep a ladder or a kayak.
How To Keep The Garage Organized – Share the Plan
Finished with your garage organization project? The final step is to share your new storage systems with everyone in your household. Once people know where things should go, they’ll not only be able to find what they need, they’ll also be able to take responsibility for putting things back.
Professional Garage Organization
Feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of organizing your garage? Totally Organized is here to help. Our team of highly trained professional organizers can transform your garage from a cluttered car-free space into a storage dream with plenty of room for parking. We offer a full-service solution—from decluttering, to installing storage solutions, to designing an easy-to-maintain system that works for you and your family. To learn more about our services, reach out today for a free consultation.