6 Garage Organizing Tips That Really Work
Garages are somewhat dumps for just about everything. Because they are large open spaces, they’re easy targets for that suitcase that will not fit in the cupboard, the rollerblades your daughter does not want to throw off yet, the sewing machine you need to return to your neighbor, and anything else which does not have a set place.
National Clean Out Your Garage Day, the Saturday after Labor Day, is a perfect time to roll up your sleeves and dive head first into the clutter. Follow these 6 tips from Houzz users and home professionals to clean your way into a neat and organized garage.
More: 5 Dream Garages
1. Utilize as much vertical and ceiling area as you can. This rule is particularly important if you’re likely to actually park your car here. Be certain you’ll have space for your automobile without running onto anything.
For Houzz user Janet Henry in Illinois, getting everything up off of the ground was a priority, so eliminating as much crap as possible was crucial. “The biggest challenge was just getting started,” she says. After a yard sale, it took her three days to paint the walls, scour the ground, and paint the chimney to get the garage spic and span. “I make it a point to sweep it out and wash up things every week. I want it to stay nice for quite a while,” she says.
The main goal for Janet was going to create an area which was tidy, organized, and presentable once the garage door was still open. Luckily, she’s a shed and a basement in which any additional equipment can go.
This really is a good solution for anyone with a smaller garage; little storage sheds could be built and installed relatively inexpensively. “Just driving into a nice, clean area is excellent,” she says.
Thrifty Decor Chick
Getting as much from flooring as possible was also a large priority for Sarah of the blog Thrifty Decor Chick. Her garage was like so many other people: a place to store every possible piece of clutter. She picked up a few holders from the hardware shop for brooms, rakes, mops — anything with a deal. Heavy-duty hooks took care of the rest.
Thrifty Decor Chick
Initially, Sarah had purchased some easy open-wire shelving for the rear of her garage but the open shelves actually ended up discouraging organization. Everybody would shove things onto the shelves, till they became a mishmash of random belongings. This time around, she made a decision to invest in a couple of storage bits from Target. The easy, closed cabinetry made all the difference.
2. Before reorganizing, try taking everything out of your garage. Taking a look at the area you have as a blank canvas can give you a clearer idea about what you’re working with. Houzz userIvan Prefer of Hillsdale, New Jerseyhas a vertical storage arrangement similar to the preceding two garages, but has also integrated a neat and clean workshop area to the back. Working with a fresh slate will be able to help you decide what places are better to designate for certain activities.
3. Decide what to keep, what to donate, and what to throw off. When you end up questioning a particular item, ask yourself:
Do I really like it? Can I need it? When was the last time I used this? If I donated it, could it be safely employed by someone else? Clearing out clutter is incredibly satisfying, and chances are you won’t miss that fifth spare tennis racket. When in doubt, donate or throw it. Recycle as much as you can, and make sure you dispose of paint and other hazardous waste .
Just a Girl
4. Group like items together so they’re easy to find. For Chris Carey from Only a Girl, the garage in her Michigan home was a catchy area since it’s also the primary way that most men and women use to enter the home. She determined that although it had been a garage, it did not necessarily need to look like you.
A few coats of paint, metal shelving plus a few adorable stickers for the door completely altered the space without spending a lot of money. Chris decided to put the items which they’d mostly need for in-house use on the bigger wire shelf, including beverages, paper towels and toilet paper, and other cleaning materials.
Much like Chris, Erin of Sunny Side Up tends to use her garage door as the main entrance for her home — so it frequently becomes a gathering spot for coats and shoes.
A neat and clean jacket and shoe rack encourages her kids to place their own clothes in the ideal place and makes it easy while searching for that much-loved pair of pink Velcro shoes. Storage on the walls and ceiling saves space for larger items, and items which are used on a daily basis.
5. Choose which region of the garage is going to be used for what purpose. Think carefully about what you want your garage to be used for, and also the very best possible way this distance could be split up.
For Houzz user Mikki Lesowitz-Soliday of Sherman Oaks, Calif., the priority was to clean out her garage and transform it into a studio in which her craft group and classes could meet. But, space still needed to be allocated for storage and exercise gear. By dividing the space into zones, she was able to create a set up which made sense and was neat and organized.
Mikki’s biggest challenge was trying to figure out what to do using the items that are extra, which comprised four bikes, lawn equipment and a lot of luggage. Instead of attempting to cram every little thing inside her area, they built a long, narrow shed for all those items along the side of the garage. That left area for two big tables, a sewing channel, and tons of art and craft supplies.
“I’ve plenty of storage, which I recognize is a true luxury,” she says. “But I’m always purging. Everything from art supplies for my kids’ clothes. I believe that it’s the key to staying organized!”
6. Label everything. Yet another shot in Erin’s garage shows how taking the time to tag each and every shelf and drawer may create a world of difference. Tired of bins and drawers filled with a hodgepodge of screws, nails, and bolts, Erin took the time to arrange each individual piece by kind and tag accordingly. Tedious? Yes. Worth it? Yes.
Since stitching entails so many bits and pieces, it’s easy for a sewing channel to become a tangled jumble of thread, pins and needles. Instead of allowing the chaos stack up, Mikki decided to block it by making a space for everything. Scissors, pins, fabric, thread spools, and each other sewing requirement has its branded and distinctive place.
What’s sitting in your garage at this time? Have you got plans to tackle the mess? Or are you already sifted through the clutter to create a new area? Share your before and after pictures below!
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