Is your garage currently a dumping ground for tools, sports equipment, outdoor toys, seasonal decorations and maybe even a little extra food and drink? Heck, is there even room for your car anymore?
There's something overwhelming and paralysis-inducing about garage clutter.
If you've been putting it off, the change of seasons is actually the perfect time to roll up your sleeves and get to the bottom of that mess in your garage. In that spirit, I've put together a list of must-have tools and top tips to get you over your inertia and on your way to a shipshape space.
Before you get started, look through your belongings to see if you have these essential tools. If not, hit the stores; you won't want to get started without them.
- Clear bins and labels. You'll need places to store things like sports equipment and seldom-used tools. Clear bins and easy-to-read labels enable you to find what you're looking for (or put something back in the right spot) within seconds.
- Rolling shelves. Rolling wire shelves, and really rolling shelves of any type, will help you minimize the mess on your garage floor by using the vertical space.
- Hooks. Hooks are the hardest-working organizational tools. Hang a few in your garage for tools, small and large. They are great when it comes to storing brooms, rakes, saws, coolers, bikes and snow tires.
- Ceiling-mounted shelving. Overhead storage can be a lifesaver in a garage. Perfect for those things, like emergency kits, you need to keep but don't use very often.
- Shoe rack. Nothing is worse than walking into your garage only to step into a puddle of melted snow or cold, sticky mud. Pick up a shoe rack, and give your family a place (other than the floor) to store footwear conveniently. Rather than cluttering up a hallway or kitchen, have everyone remove their shoes before coming inside.
Once you are ready to dig in and tackle your mess, stop looking at the big picture. Garages tend to be large projects that can overwhelm. Instead, pick one small area, like a workbench, to focus on first. Declutter it completely before moving on to another small space.
- If you're stymied, take note. Writing down what you don't like about your current garage situation can help to make sure the same problems don't pop up when you're arranging a new layout.
- Edit first. Simply decide what's important to keep in the area you are cleaning and toss or donate the rest. You might find it helpful to grab a large contractor bag for the trash items and a large, empty cardboard box for items you can donate.
- Sort second. Once you're done getting rid of unnecessary items, sort what's left into smaller groups (sports equipment, tools, bikes, etc.). This will help you figure out what kind of shelving, hooks and storage bins you need to install so you can give everything a proper home.
- Organize according to use. When you're planning the layout of your garage, make sure you take into consideration which items you use the most, and where you use them.
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