Most people rely on a simple principle – throw everything that you can’t find a place for in the garage. This philosophy, however, will sooner or later contribute to a garage that looks like something taken out of Hoarding: Buried Alive.
Even if you take the time to put everything in complete order, the garage will maintain its exemplary appearance for just a couple of weeks. After that, everything will go back to chaos.
Keeping the garage organized can be difficult, especially if you like to store many old things in hope of reviving those (instead of simply throwing them away). Still, there’s some light in the end of the tunnel and here’s what it takes to keep the mess under control.
Maximize the Amount of Vertical and Ceiling Space
Nobody said that you shouldn’t store things in the garage. Relying on the good, old boxes for storage purposes, however, is far from the most effective option for utilizing the available space.
Try to create as much vertical storage space as possible. If you’re wondering about it, the term simply refers to putting things on the walls. Hooks and shelves are ideal because they don’t require a lot of space and can be used for the storage of even large objects like bikes.
The ceiling can also be utilized for the purpose of storing items and cleaning up useful space. A loft above the garage door, for example, will give you a chance to utilize a bit of space that’s typically left unused and to get some of those ugly boxes out of sight.
Garage Zoning
By introducing a zone system, you’ll find it much easier to maintain order in the garage. Zoning works even for smaller spaces because it creates a system. Systems are easy to follow and this is how they turn the messy garage into an exemplary space.
Some people rely on the six zone system, others have their individual ideas for organizing the space. Choose something that will make sense for your family and maintain the zones. You may want to have a work space, a part of the garage dedicated to sports equipment, a wall storage area for gardening tools and a small part of the garage dedicated to the storage of larger items and boxes.
The Good, Old Label
How often have you run in this situation – you need to get something, you’re 100 percent confident that it’s in the garage and you can’t find it? This happens because you simply throw stuff in the garage without doing anything about organizing the items.
Want to know what one of the simplest organization opportunities is? The use of good, old labels can help you maintain a pretty good idea about what’s found in each individual box.
Put a label on each drawer, each shelf and each box. Don’t take your memory for granted, especially if you have dozens of items in the garage. By having labels, you’ll also feel compelled to add new items to the appropriate bin or box, making the task of organizing the garage a lot easier in the future.
Try Pegboards for Storage
If you like DIY projects and you work on many home improvements on your own, chances are that you have all kinds of tools scattered throughout the garage. One of the easiest opportunities for getting your tools organized involves the purchase of pegboards.
Using pegboards to organize your tools is one of the simplest possibilities that will also boost the coolness factor of your garage.
You can have one wall or a portion of the wall equipped with a pegboard with hooks. Hang all of your tools and other small items. The pegboard even allows you to group these items on the basis of function, which means that all of the needed tools are logically organized and readily accessible.
Organize the Small Things, as Well
Do you have nails, screws and bolts just scattered throughout the garage? Very often, your storage space will look messy because of the chaos rather than because you have too many things inside.
What does it take to keep such small items organized and conveniently available? The answer is quite simple.
Metal herb boxes are great for those tiny little things. Such canisters can be mounted on a magnetic panel, which is obviously going to look beyond cool. When buying herb boxes for garage storage purposes, opt for the variety having a clear lid. This way, you’ll have a good idea about what you’ve placed in each individual container.
Get Rid of the Stuff You don’t Need
All of these tips sound great but they’re going to work only if you’ve managed to get rid of the clutter.
It’s very important to throw out everything you’re never, ever going to use again in your life. Items that are in poor condition should be discarded. Other items can be donated or sold. Both online opportunities and yard sales will be great for the purpose of giving such items a second life.
Chances are that your garage holds many items that you’ve already forgotten about. Though you may be experiencing some emotional attachment to these items, you should know when it’s time to let go. Once you get rid of all the clutter, you can begin executing some of the clever and fun storage ideas.
By Cliff Derksen, Owner of First Impressions Janitorial, a winnipeg commercial cleaning company (http://www.firstimpressionsjanitorial.ca)
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