Garage: Seven Organization Tips

The garage can be a handy addition to one’s home. Organize it with these seven tips.

The garage was originally called the “carriage house”, which refers to the old-fashioned horse-and-buggy type of carriage. The “house” portion of this antiquated phrase refers to the fact that these buggies had their own building that was separate from the rest of the main house. In modern homes, garages are a bit different on a variety of levels.

For one thing, they are often attached to the home. For another, they are often used, not just for storing the family vehicle, but for storing just about everything else imaginable that isn’t used on a regular basis within the home.

This is a wonderful thing except for when it gets cluttered, jam packed and the homeowner can no longer find things or even park the automobile. If this sounds familiar, it may be time to organize the space with these 7 tips:

1) Take everything out of there and place items on the front or backyard area. Sweep and clean up before placing anything back into the interior. There may be multitudes of items that are no longer needed.

2) Sort all into piles such as “keep”, “throw away”, “donate” or “sell at a garage sale.” Have adequate boxes and bags ready to store items as they are categorized. The “throw away” pile is easy, all you have to do is toss it into the trash, take it to the city dump or find a public garbage dumpster. Donations can be made to friends or local charities. Garage sale items can not only help to clear the space but to put money into the household budget, as well.

3) Once the contents of the space have been slimmed down to only items that will be kept, it’s time to take an inventory. Once a solid idea of contents has been ascertained, it’s time to start thinking about storage containers.

4) Shelving can be placed along one or both sides of the garage, as long as there’s still plenty of room for the car or cars to be parked. These can be open or closed shelving units, fancy or plain, home-built or store bought. Measure your walls and estimate costs by visiting the local cabinet shop and home improvement stores. Used shelves can often be found online or at second hand shops such as Habitat for Humanity or Salvation Army.

5) Pegboards can hold keys, carpentry and landscaping tools. By hanging items up on pegboards, floor space can be used for bulkier objects. All that is hung up is more visible and easier to locate.

6) Plastic storage bins can contain paperwork, holiday decorations and other keepsakes. Mark the outside of the bins with a permanent marker and you’ll be able to easily track the contents.

7) Rafters and attics inside the garage are additional nooks and crannies to store seldom used items. It’s best to tuck away objects that aren’t used on a regular basis since they’re not as readily accessible.

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