Organizing Your Garage

Garages are intended to keep our vehicles safe and away from the elements, but what about when you can barely pry yourself in and out of your car amongst all the other items that are infringing on your car’s space? That may signal that it’ s time for a garage clean up!

I wish there were some shortcuts, I really do, but you do need to remove everything to get started. This way you can clean the garage too, which in the long run will help with the organizing after.

Organize and Sort

Once everything is out of your garage, sort your belongings into piles of similar items. Toys with toys, yard tools all together, tools in one spot, sports items, bicycles. Most importantly take this opportunity to make piles for a garage sale, or a charity drop off.

Purchase or repurpose bins and organizing tools

This is a big step as it will help with easy storage and convenient retrieval of items. Before you begin, ask yourself a few questions: What does my space suit? What do I have to work around: pipes, entrance door to the house? Would shelves work best? Would cabinets help? They would keep things hidden and you could reuse those cabinets from the kitchen reno that are cluttering the basement. A tool chest is a great investment to keep all your tools together and organized. Peg boards are an affordable way to make a home for things. If you keep your garbage and recycling bins in your garage, there are some great outdoor wooden centres that house those bins fashionably outside.

Do not forget your walls and ceilings, a great source of storage space. There are all kinds of specialized hooks and racks for hanging ladders, bikes, brooms, rakes and garden hoses. Your goal is to free up floor space of clutter.

Clean

Now is the time for a good sweep, ensuring all corners are free of dust and debris and all cobwebs have been removed. While you’re at it, you may want to paint and seal your floor, not only will it look good but it’ll make cleaning easier. Also, take this opportunity to inspect your garage door. Does it need a new coat of paint? Does it need replacing? There are some amazing traditional and modern garage door options that come in low maintenance materials that can work with your home’s style and help enhance its overall curb appeal.

Replace Items

You can now store all those items that survived the trash pile in their new homes. Put items that you use regularly within easy reach. Save the high or out of the way spots for the Christmas lights or the blow- up skeleton from Halloween. Don’t block your entrance into the house if you have an attached garage and avoid blocking sensors for your garage door opener.

Label shelves and bins and boxes with labels and waterproof markers. Even though your system is well thought out, you may not remember the method to your madness for all items.

Now that your items are so easily accessed, enjoy using them, but putting things back where they belong is just as important! I bet you might even hold off on that new car purchase now that you see how good your vehicle looks parked in all that space while preserving its paint job from being dinged by lawnmowers and bicycles!