Before we get into how, we have to start with why do you want to organize your garage? For example, is your reason why to comfortably park your car in the garage? Some of you are going to say well, obviously! Especially with the snow and ice this time of year! But you might be surprised by how many would say no, that’s so important.
Clarify your why
We have worked with homeowners who want to prioritize their garage for general storage, for a carpentry shop, for a workout room, for band rehearsal, for an art studio, for sports practice, and for inventory storage. This is not to say you can’t have more than one purpose, but if you have unlimited purposes, you will have limited success with organizing.
Identify your 3 major types
Once you have gotten clear on WHY you want to organize your garage, there are two simple directions to look at for how to create space: Out and up. Out means discarding, donating, selling, and relocating. Up means to look at vertical storage. To make the right choices, you need to recognize that you are ultimately limited to just 3 types of things in your garage space.
- Shelvable
- Hangable
- Non-negotiable
Time to start organizing your garage!
You need to start with the non-negotiables. These would include your car, a generator, a motorcycle, a lawnmower, and a snow blower. The more of these you have, the harder it is going to be to organize your garage, because they are just going to eat up floor space and there’s little you can do about it. Once you are clear on your non-negotiables, you need to look at every shelve-able and hangable option there is for the rest. Shelveable options are simply items that can be contained in bins or otherwise fit comfortably on shelves. Please check out my video “Organizing Your Garage Storage Vertically” for details. Hangable items can hang from the walls or the ceiling. Please check out my video “Organizing Your Garage with Hangable Storage” for details.
Isolate your “awkwards”
I suppose if I’m really being complete, I should include a category, I’m calling the slot-ables. These are vertical items that you can fit between standing shelves or in corners. Examples of these include large, awkward tools, flag poles, or snow stakes. A $4 orange bucket from the Home Depot can go a long way for the slot-ables.
Identify a clear work surface
Finally, I want to make a case for what I consider your number one organizing tool, a clear work surface. In the garage, the most common clear work surface is a work bench. A work surface is valuable as long you keep it clear and not squandered on storage. Go vertical for the storage and leave the surface clear for processing, otherwise all bets are off for staying organized in the garage.
Are you looking to get organized in the garage? We’re always here to help!
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