Organizing the Garage

Are you one of those people that can not fit a car in the garage? Do you close the garage door so quickly hoping that no one sees all the “stuff” in the garage? If you answered yes to any of these questions or if you just need to get your garage organized this blog may interest you. I think it is time to “Clear the Clutter”!

I realize if you can’t find a home for some of your “stuff” it is going to end up in the garage. And if you are like me, I don’t have attic space in my home to hide some of that stuff. So let’s see if we can’t organize the things you have in your garage so you can at least get one car in the garage and maybe even have a little space left to walk around.

Take everything out of your garage and move it out on the front lawn. (make sure rain is not in the forecast) By removing everything you are organizing your garage it will allow you to take really good look at the space. You will be shocked how much bigger it looks.

Take out the trash, recycling and donations Decide what items are no longer useful, damaged, or missing pieces, etc. and fill up garbage bags. Recycle all the things you can like newspapers, magazines, glass, aluminum, or paint need to be recycled or disposed of properly. If you take off the lid of a paint can and let it dry out completely you can throw it in the trash. Look around for a few items that are in good shape but you just don’t use anymore.

Clean your garage from top to bottom. Wash the walls, scrub the floors, and if you have windows…pull out the Windex! Sort items by categories think of your garage as would inside your home. These are categories I would start with, sports and equipment, lawn and garden, automotive supplies, tools, recycling, tote for shoes (on the go shoes I call them or outside shoes: old sneakers, flip flops, taking dog for walk shoes etc.)

Time to figure out where things go in your garage. If you have the budget and the room to buy shelves or hooks for some of your things to help organize everything, that would be great, If not, grab some totes from inside your house and some extra garbage cans and some nails. I have used totes to keep the boys basketballs, footballs, and other sport stuff in to keep it separate. Another idea is to use an old laundry bin that has three sections. You could have one for balls, one for bats and the other for accessories. I had an old entertainment center that I couldn’t give away with a “free” sign attached to it as part of my organizing solution. It hold my husband’s fishing supplies, lanterns, baseball gloves, chalk, and a bunch of other things…all while looking very attractive! LOL! Use an extra garbage can to hold rakes, shovels, and other lawn equipment. If you can hang any squirt bottle on the lip of the can that are used to kill weeds or fertilize flowers. It doesn’t have to be pretty it just has to work for you and the fact that the lawn equipment and supplies are together that is all that matters. If you like tools hanging on the wall and now is not the time to go out and buy something, use nails as a holder. Nail two nails into the wall to hold hammers, one nail to hold wrenches, two nails close to hold screwdrivers (you get the picture).

Organizing your garage gives you a great feeling of accomplishment. In most cases it’s the first thing you see when you get home and the last thing you see before you leave. Who wants that kind of memory or “hello” when you get home!?!?!?!?