What’s Lurking In Your Garage?

ImageIs your garage scary?  Why are garages such an organizing challenge?

  • Everything is just bigger.  We have to organize bicycles and yard implements instead of dishes, books and papers.
  • Garages are used by every family member, and sometimes by people who don’t even live in our homes.
  • We can look past the clutter in our garage for a long time.  If we use our garage for parking our cars, we just pass through the space when we come and go, and turn a blind eye.
  • If we don’t park in our garage because it’s full of clutter, the usage and priority slip even further, and it sinks even lower down the to-oganize list.  And the dread monster and feelings of overwhelm build….

I’ve worked in a lot of garages lately, so I know it’s a great time to tackle garage projects!  If you, too, are challenged by your garage, here’s how to organize the space, tame the monsters, and breathe easier.

  1. Assemble your supplies:  Garbage bags, sharpie markers, a notebook to jot down follow-up tasks, a smart phone to take pictures of items to sell or donate.
  2. Remove items already slated to leave.  Load up and drop off the trash, recycling or donations.
  3. Get a little tough with your loved ones.  It’s time to STOP storing items for family members who no longer live in your home.  Employ both a request and a deadline: “The donation pick-up is scheduled for July 1, take what you want or it goes out to the curb”, or something similar. Image
  4. Break down the cardboard boxes.  It is amazing how many we have, and how much space they take up!  Keep a few, but flatten them for easier storage.
  5. Choose a starting spot, perhaps near a door, and slowly move around the space, making decisions about the clutter you find.  Clutter is defined as anything you don’t need, use or love.  So ask yourself:
    1. Do I need this?  Yes?  Then where and when do I need this? (and store it accordingly)  No?  It may need to go away…
    2. Do I use this?  Yes?  Then where and when do I use this?  (and store it accordingly)  No?  It may need to go away…
    3. Do I love this?  Yes?  Then treat it as treasure and store it in a clean waterproof container NOT in your garage.  No?  It may need to go away…
    4. Other related questions may be:  Do I have similar items that do the same job?  If the item is large and job specific (like Imagecamping equipment), can it be shared among a couple of households (so one of you can get rid of it!?!?)
  6. Brush down the walls and sweep the floor as you move things around.
  7. Once you have decided what stays and what goes away, determine where your items will be stored:
    1. Store similar items together, like seasonal decorations, gardening tools or sports equipment.  This makes it so much easier to find and use things again!
    2. Consider your budget, and add shelves if possible.  Installed shelves are expensive but attractive.  Plastic or metal shelving units are often on sale at the big box hardware stores, easy to assemble, and if the unit is free standing, you can be flexible about where you keep it. It’s amazing what you can store on just one 4-5 shelf unit.Image
    3. Look at the walls for vertical storage, like pegboards, racks or large hooks from beams or rafters.  Too often garage stuff is piled in short piles on the floor, while the walls stand bare.
  8. Most importantly, once you organize your garage, keep it that way!  At least twice a year, run through this process again.  The piles won’t be so tall next time, and the project won’t seem so scary!