Your garage may be the largest storage area in your home. You can use the garage to park your cars, as a home workshop, as a gym, or a combination of these functions. When your garage serves multiple purposes, it can easily become cluttered. These tips will help you organize your garage to maximize the available space.
What It Takes to Organize Your Garage
To best organize your garage, be discerning about the items you want to keep there. Begin by decluttering your garage. Remove unwanted items and donate them or throw them away. Some items can be stored in the backyard shed, in your attic, or even in an off-site location if they’re rarely used.
1. Plan Ahead When You Organize Your Garage
A garage organization project can take many hours of hard work. Recruit help from family members and give yourself ample time to work uninterrupted for a weekend. Create a plan for eliminating unwanted items. Have trash bags and boxes available for items you are getting rid of.
2. Touch Each Item Once
The most efficient way to organize your garage is to decide immediately what you want to do with each item. As you pick up an item, be decisive about keeping, donating, or tossing it out. If you keep it, decide if it will be stored in the garage or in another area. Have multiple storage features available and immediately place items that are staying in the garage in the right location.
3. Create an Organizational System
In a well-kept garage, each item has a dedicated location and similar items are stored together. When you organize your garage, use storage bins and boxes, a shelving system with cabinets and drawers, overhead storage, and pegboards. These storage features help you take advantage of vertical space. Use clear containers or label the boxes to easily find what you need.
4. Start with a Blank Canvas
In some cases, the garage is too cramped to follow the one-touch strategy. If your garage is overfull, begin by moving everything out into the driveway. Next, install your storage features across the walls and overhead. Then you can begin placing items in their designated place in the garage. Items that are no longer needed or wanted can be added to piles for donation, sale, or trash.
An organized garage is a multi-purpose area that combines storage with usable space for a workshop, home gym, or play area. Organize your garage to take full advantage of its possibilities. These tips will help you easily tackle this major organization project.
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