Simple Tricks for Organizing Your Garage
December 10, 2020
Is your house bursting at the seams? Have you run out of space to park your car? Did you deck the halls — and then some? It might be time to consider organizing your garage.
Thankfully with some extra planning and effort, you can maximize the built-in storage space inside your house. Home improvement expert Bob Vila offers this sage advice to take your garage organizing to the next level.
- Divide and conquer.
Just like with any home organizing project, start by getting rid of whatever you no longer use. From there, sort all like items together … i.e., sports equipment with sports equipment, lawn tools with lawn tools, etc. Keep and store these items together.
Stackable, clear plastic containers with lids (or opaque ones with proper labels) are especially helpful in protecting and storing your belongings.
- Decide what goes where.
Think through your items in a thoughtful, strategic way. For instance, which items will you use most regularly? Store them close in an easy-to-reach spot. What will you use the least often? That can be tucked away for less frequent access.
- Make the most of your wall space.
The key to organizing a garage is getting things off the floor to reduce clutter and still keep everything visible. The most suitable wall storage depends on your needs, project budget, and personal preferences.
When choosing your storage system, some options to consider include Pegboard (as long as items are not too heavy), Open Shelving (which keeps everything in plain sight), Closed Cabinets — which are most effective when they’re combined with another system, since they aren’t big enough to accommodate large items, and built-in or Panel Systems, which might need to be professionally installed if you’re looking to cover an entire wall.
- Ceiling considerations.
Occasionally, ceiling storage is the answer you need. Certain infrequently used items like ladders, holiday decorations, seasonal items, and travel accessories can be tucked away on ceiling joists, added to an overhead rack, or stored with cleverly designed pulley systems. Just keep the garage door opening in mind when crafting your system so you don’t have to move things out of the way on a regular basis.
- Safety matters.
Keep safety in mind as you go through your items and organize the garage. Whether you’re storing gasoline, propane, or aerosol paints, be mindful that hazardous materials should be out of reach to children and pets. You might consider locked cabinets or child safety locks on power equipment and certain items like fertilizer or pesticide.
Finally, clean the floors and dust if needed. Once you have things put away in your garage, it’s a good time to sweep the floor, do some dusting, and clean up. You’ll be amazed at how great it feels to drive into your “new” garage.
Popular Posts
January 31, 2024
January 30, 2024
January 25, 2024
