How to Organize a Garage
How to Organize a Garage
Keeping your garage in order will help you find things when you need them. An organized garage also allows you to make use of the space for household projects, automotive projects, or whatever else you need the space for. A cluttered and disorganized garage is of no benefit to you, so check out these tips to help you put things in order.
Figure Out What Belongs
If your garage has become the dumping ground for junk that has no other home, you will first need to figure out what belongs in the garage and what needs to go elsewhere. Start at the door then work in a counterclockwise direction around the garage. Set out boxes to gather up the homeless items. Anything that does not need to have a permanent home in your garage needs to go into one of the boxes. You can deal with those items later, after the garage is organized.
Find a Home for Everything
Everything that is left in the garage after your first sorting needs its own spot in your garage. Make use of shelves, storage boxes, and plastic drawers to organize and put things in order. Use a label maker or a Sharpie and some adhesive labels to mark every box and drawer. Use small utility drawers for smaller items like screws, nuts, bolts, fuses, washers, and the like.
Designate a shelf that is specifically for gardening items, and a shelf that is for automotive items, and a shelf for home improvement items. Use storage boxes to separate items in each category.
Hang up gardening tools using a rack attached to the walls. Make use of your walls to hang as many items as possible. If your garage has overhead rafters, slide sheets of plywood across those rafters to create an attic space of sorts. You can store little used items like Christmas decorations, tents, lawn chairs, and the like in the overhead space.
Keep Things in Order
Set up large garbage cans in your garage to collect trash and keep items in order when they are used. Make a habit of putting things back into their designated place after you use them, but if you have family members that won’t follow this rule, use this trick to keep things from being thrown hither and yon: Mark a large garbage can with a sizeable and visible sign reading “Homeless Items.” Paint this garbage can a bright color or use some other means to differentiate this garbage can from others. Instruct everyone to place items into this can and every week you will be able to put everything into their proper places.
Use a few of these ideas to get you started as you organize your garage. Keeping it in order will be an ongoing job, but it will be worth it when you can find those important tools and other things you need.
If you are in need of better organization skills in general, then we have some things here that will be sure yo help you out! Check out our guide to Getting Organized! If you find that you are still having organization problems, then you might want to try this book on organizing inside and out!
