Tag: DIY projects

Organize Your Kitchen in Little Nibbles and Big Bites

Our kitchens are truly the hearts of our homes, which means any time spent organizing this very important space is time well spent.  However… organizing our kitchens can seem really overwhelming, since there are things, both useful and scary, behind every door and in every drawer!

So let’s break down this big and useful project into several little projects, instead:

  • Food and Pantry Items
    Tackle your food storage areas first.  To minimize the overwhelm, review your kitchen a cabinet at a time.  Start with grouping your food categories (canned goods, boxed pastas, baking supplies), and review all your items for their expiration dates.  It’s likely at least a few items will be expired, and those will go in the trash.
    Decide, too – even if a food item isn’t expired, will you and your family ever eat it?  (For example, when my sons were young, I bought a 10 pack of boxed mac and cheese and then they announced they didn’t like it).  If an item is still within code but of no use to you, share or donate it to a local food pantry so it doesn’t go to waste.
    Plan your next week of meals around the food you have on hand, to continue the clutter clearing!  And always check your cabinets before you grocery shop, to avoid having to throw out expired foods again.
  • Reusable Water bottles and Coffee Mugs
    To get started, pull them out of ALL THE PLACES THEY ARE STASHED, and pair up the bottoms and tops.  And Yes, if you’re asking, you probably have too many of these.  Decide just how many you feasibly need.  I’m the only one that uses go-mugs, and I use the same 2, rotating them daily.  We have a few more than 2 water bottles, but not too many.  And next time you’re at an event where they are giving away free water bottles or can wraps or coffee mugs, just say “No, thank you”.
  • Cleaning supplies
    Good golly.  I’m always amazed at the full inventory of cleaning supplies most houses hold, and most is stashed under the kitchen sink.
    Which makes no sense, because you can’t really see it under there.
    Take everything out, line up the items by category.
    See anything you can just toss? (why are there always a few empty windex bottles?  Go fig.)
    Are there any items that are clearly past their prime?  Off color, bad odor, rock hard, etc.?
    Any partial bottles you can combine?  (The dribs and drabs of dish soap or hand soap?)
    Look around your kitchen or pantry, and see if there is a better place to store your cleaning supplies.  If there is not, corral the different categories into plastic baskets and store them under the sink so you more easily access your supplies when you need them!
  • Spices
    Here is the link to my recent article on organizing your
    spices!  
  • Junk drawer
    Here is the link to one of my most popular articles ever,  “If You Call It A Junk Drawer, Guess What Ends Up Inside?”
  • Plastic storage containers
    Yes, it is time to organize these, too!  Click here to read my recent article “What to Do With All These Storage Containers”!
  • Top of the fridge?
    Ohhhh, yeah.  This space can be great storage or it can be a crazy no-man’s land of scary stuff.  Click here to read “Reclaim The Top of Your Refrigerator”.  (And there are even some words about Cookbooks in this one!!)

Fight the overwhelm, and tackle these projects one at a time to get your kitchen on track!

Spiders, Mice, Many-legged Things and Christmas Decor (a.k.a., Our Crawl Space)

We tackled the crawl space this weekend.  Yes, the organizer dives into weekend organizing rubbermaidprojects!  The crawl space is under the addition to our home  (both were here before we got here).   It is great storage space, but gets a little grubby and needs our attention about once a year, and this was the weekend!

We can all learn from every experience, so what lessons do I want to share with all of you from this project?

We often spend more time and energy dreading or avoiding a project than the chore actually takes to complete.
For a month, I’ve been thinking that we needed to get to the crawl space, and I would get frustrated whenever I thought about going in there for something.  And then,  we completed the project in under an hour.  So silly to worry so much!

Relatedly, Bugs and creepy crawlies aren’t really that creepy.  
Come on, people, they’re not that big of a deal.

Working on and completing projects often create more ideas or tasks to complete, though small ones in this case.
Keep a notebook with you, as you work, to jot down ideas.   As we cleaned out the crawl space, I realized a number of further tasks needed to be added to my to-do list:

  • As of October 1, I will list the extra Halloween Costumes on Facebook;
  • As of October 1, if the baby items we found have not been picked up, I will drop them off at the Courage Program at St. Germaine Parish in  Oak Lawn;
  • As of November 1, I will check the Christmas light sales, as we need new ones this year; and
  • As of January 1, we need to review and purge excess Christmas decorations!
  • All of these were added to my to-do list, and I’m pondering a few more ideas, too!

Keep your smartphone with you.
We texted a family member about some baby items we were still storing, plus I posted on Facebook that we had free baby items to be picked up (the bassinet is already gone!)

Sometimes, it’s just really helpful to remind yourself of what you have.
The crawl space wasn’t actually disorganized, we just needed to review things and make sure they were stored well.  We pulled the often-accessed items to the front, made sure everything was well labeled and grouped, and cleaned out the spiderwebs, dead bugs and mice droppings. (another note, put out more mice bait).

Completing Organizing Projects feels Great!
Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think so.  I am so glad we spent time on the crawl space, definitely a worthwhile investment for my Peace of Mind. Now, on to the garage!

Summer Projects! Life Lessons in an Ikea Box.

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We spent some quality time at Ikea yesterday.

If you’ve ever been to Ikea, you know that you can’t rush through Ikea, or go in for just one thing. Ikea includes a restaurant on premises because, truly, shopping there can be an all-day adventure.  It can be overwhelming, but we were prepared and we did the conquering!

I will share the entire project (basement bathroom wardrobe / big closet re-set) once it is all done, but we went to Ikea to purchase a wardrobe / standing cabinet for our bathroom.

Have I mentioned?  I LOVE assembling furniture.  It’s gratifying, and because I have an amazing job, I get called upon to assemble furniture quite often!  Particularly gratifying is assembling my own furniture, which is how I spent the afternoon.  Since I have assembled so many of these furniture pieces, from Ikea and elsewhere, I thought I would share my wisdom to help you on your next project whether simple book shelves or something more complicated like our wardrobe!

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  1. This should go without saying, but I will say it anyway: Read the directions.  Read them ALL THE WAY TO THE END, before you do anything.  I realize that we can’t actually read Ikea instructions because, oh right, there are no words.  But you can still look at EVERY PICTURE in the provided booklet before you take anything else out of the box. Trust me on this one, and you can thank me later.
  2. Collect Your Tools.  The instruction booklet suggested only a hammer and Philips 6f489834-7ed2-4a5c-babf-497374e960a6_1000head screwdriver were needed for assembly of our particular unit, but my new power screwdriver could make the job go much easier.  Also, grab a cold beverage and put on some music (again, trust me on this one).
  3. 021Lay out all the hardware, sort it all into little piles, and count everything to make sure you have what you need.  I’ve had good experiences with Ikea kits, with the necessary pieces all intact. This is really good news since their customer service line left a bit to be desired when I actually had to call about something.  Reviewing everything first is better than having to call and wait on hold halfway through.
  4. Lay out all the big pieces, match them up with the instructions.   Imagine all the pieces fitting together in the finished projects.  Make sure the unfinished surfaces are the hidden sides of your item!
  5. Do Not Rush. Let me say it again.  DO NOT RUSH.  Review the directions, check your tools and supplies, turn on your tunes.  Estimate how long the assembly should take, then double it. Take  your time, check your directions, tighten down your screws and connections.
  6. Once your item is assembled, take a moment and appreciate your success.  Raise your right 004hand, reach around and pat yourself on the back.  Then … clean up your mess and put your tools away!
Hmmm… I am re-reading this, and realizing that these instructions about instructions apply to pretty much every project!!
Read your instructions.
Assemble your tools.
Lay out your pieces and supplies.
Grab a beverage.
Music makes the job go better.
Don’t rush, take your time.
Appreciate your successes and clean up your messes.Yep, sounds like sound advice for life, not just for furniture assembling!  Happy Building!

Wait – What? I’m Supposed to Have Summer Organizing Projects?

It’s feeling like summer.  My older sons are out until August, and the youngest is counting the hours until Friday noon.

I don’t know if this happens in every house (probably not), but when the kids get out of school and the weather turns warm, my thoughts turn to…. Projects!  (I know, I may be crazy).  Of course, my thoughts also turn to summer travels and relaxing with friends and family, but summer is a great time to make progress on projects.

Wait – What? I’m Supposed to Have Summer Organizing Projects?

Yes, you are.  Why?

The days are longer.  It’s warmer in the garage / attic / basement, if that’s where the projects are.  Our energy is higher. There may be extra people (read kids) around to help. So here is how:

  • Grab a clipboard.  Yes, a clipboard.  Seriously – don’t you feel more confident and in charge when you carry a clipboard? Julie McCoy, Cruise Director always knew what was going on, right?  (I just totally dated myself, but so be it).  Grab the clipboard with some paper and pen.
  • Walk around every room of your house with your clipboard, and then outside, too.
  • Look at every room as though it’s the first time.  Walk with someone, and explain the space to them. Saying things out loud can help us process our ideas.  Jot down thoughts.
    • First, appreciate the positive aspects.  (“I really love that couch.  I love the way the light fills this space. I still love this paint color, etc.”)
    • Now consider what you might like to change about the space.  Be realistic, but dream big.  Making changes can breathe new life into our spaces.  I love my great room, but rearranging the furniture the other day made me love it even more.
    • Now consider what organizing projects could help your spaces:
      • De-clutter?  Always a good step.
      • De-furnish?  I walk into so many rooms that have way too much furniture.
      • A good cleaning?  A very simple solution.
      • Invest in an organizing solution?  Perhaps your space could use new book shelves, a better closet system, or under-bed storage for off season clothes or bedding?
      • Be specific.  Don’t just write “organize bedroom” on your list.  Try – “clean out dresser drawers”, “purge old shoes”, “clean out under bed”, “hang new art work”, etc.
  • When you’re done, you may have a lengthy list.  Don’t get overwhelmed, you only need to tackle a few!
  • Looking at your list, determine what projects your family can complete over the next few months. Why?
    • Decision makers.  I live with 4 other people.  If I want to make an organizational change, I ask opinions from the other people who live here, out of respect.  This is easier in the summer, when my family is home more.  Kids may be home from college, and spouses may have a free day here and there.
    • Extra hands.  For example, we have A LOT of books in our house – the bookshelves have gotten full. This past weekend, each son went through his bookshelves.  Three bags of books are ready to donate to our local library, plus three bags of garbage left, too!
  • Pick just one room to start, and just one project. For example, “Family Room: Organize DVD collection”.
  • Now list the steps, and who can help.  The steps may include
    • “collect  cases and loose DVDs, put them together” (20 minutes, son #3),
    • “alphabetize the DVDs” (5 minutes, son #3), and
    • “review and purge unneeded DVDs for sale or donation” (20 minutes, everyone).
  • I find projects are more manageable, for me and my sons, when broken into smaller pieces.

So, what’s it going to be this summer?  Getting that garage ready for next winter?  Finally clearing out the attic, to get ready for selling the house next year?  Maybe just tidying up all the closets?  Tackle those projects!  Walk around, write them down, break them up, and share the load!  Then hit the beach or the trail! Enjoy!

I’m A Superhero!  My Shelves Will Help Me Save the Planet! 

We celebrate Earth Day this week, April 22nd.

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I try to practice Earth Day Every Day, from two directions: setting an example by being eco-friendly in our home and business; and encouraging and informing others with eco-friendly resources. So here are three steps to becoming an Environmental Super-hero, and my real-life Earth Day organizing project (elapsed time, 45 minutes-ish).

Here is how to make positive changes in your behavior, to make Earth Day Every Day:

1.  Know your “Why?”:  Why should we take better care of our environment, on a personal or local level?
  • Obviously, it’s good the environment, which helps all of us.
  • I want to set a good example for my sons, my community and my clients, by choosing environmentally sound practices like recycling and conservation.
  • I want to do Good, even when no one is watching.
  • Being eco-friendly can save money.
  • I despise clutter and stagnant “stuff”, so keeping things moving around, either for charitable donation or recycling, makes me happy.
  • What’s Your “Why”?

2.  Establish and Maintain Eco-Friendly Habits:
  • Decide for yourself and your family / business what type of eco-friendly strategies you want to employ.  We choose:
  • Conservation: My 5th grader’s class talked about water conservation a few months ago, and he brought home a great little tool, a 5-minute shower timer that hangs in the shower. I also recognized an unconscious habit just this morning: as we leave the house in the morning, I walk around turning off lights and fans.
  • Charitable Donations: we have a bin in the laundry room for clothing cast-offs to donate to charity.
  • Recycling: paper, glass, plastic and metal, plus responsibly disposing of EWaste.

3.  Establish Space for your Eco-Friendly Habits:
  • I’m the first to admit that sometimes, the right and eco-friendly thing to do feels like a hassle.
  • I spent time in my garage over the weekend, cleaning up our recycling practices by dedicating garage space for recycling / returns / donations.
  • You see, my clients often ask me to recycle the clutter they choose to purge, and I’m happy to help.  Clothing and household items donated to local charities; books donated to my local library; e-waste dropped at local E-Waste recycling sites.  I don’t always have a chance to drop stuff off right away, though, so stuff accumulates in my van / garage (because it NEVER comes in my home).  And we suffer when items linger (as CLUTTER!) in our garage until I can drop them off at their appropriate eco-friendly destination.
  • So, finally, after assembling dozens of similar shelving units for clients, I bought and assembled chrome sh001elves for my garage. This tall (6 feet) set of shelves can hold all the recycling items as they pause on their way to drop-off, plus my extra organizing supplies and any client returns I might have after a job.  My van is much cleaner now, thank goodness, as is my garage, and my habits will be easier to maintain.
  • So a trip to Home Depot, a little $$ and an hour of my time will help me keep my garage and van cleaner while I protect the environment by using and encouraging eco-friendly clutter destinations.  Seems like a worthwhile investment to me!

So, this week and every week, and this Earth Day and Every Day, what can you do to be a little kinder to our environment? Be a Hero!  Choose your “Why”, Create Your Habit, and Make Some Space!

Is There Something Scary in Your Medicine Cabinet?

This is Clutter Awareness Week AND National Poison Prevention Week, and our bathroom cabinets are a common place for both clutter and potential poisons to be lurking!

This week, I challenge you to organize your bathroom drawers and cabinets, and since each of us has a bathroom, THIS MEANS YOU!

I am reading a book called “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo.  The author admitted to being confused once when cleaning out bathroom drawers.  She cleaned out one, and the next day went to clean out another, but mistook it for the first as the contents were so similar.   I would agree.  Most of us have the following items in some combination in our bathroom drawers or cabinets:

  • Over the counter medications, current and expired
  • Prescription medications, current and expired
  • Current and expired toiletries like face lotions, deodorant, cosmetics, hair products
  • Contacts, contact solution, eye glasses, eye washes
  • Dust. Hair.
  • Dental picks, old toothbrushes and floss
  • Sample size toiletries; purchased, picked up via traveling or hotel stays, or received in the mail.
  • Cleaning supplies, for ourselves or the bathroom
  • Unattached single pills, with or without packaging
  • Used disposable razors.
  • Depending on your family composition, hair accessories, shaving supplies, 17 different shampoos, etc.
  • Well, you get the picture.

And so much of this is Clutter and potentially dangerous.  So, how do we tackle this project?

Carve out some time. But don’t let this project overwhelm you!  Bathrooms are very manageable projects.  Tackle it all at once, or a drawer or cabinet a day for 20 minutes, and the end result is still the same.

Get cooperation from the decision makers in your home. The other people in your home can help with the project, or you can box up their stuff as guide them through the decision making process.  Talk to them about expiration dates, safety, and inventory control, just like I just did with you!

With each item, review if it is needed, used or loved. If it’s none of these, toss it!

    • So many of the items in a bathroom are intended to improve our lives, but using them improperly can have the opposite effect.  Using expired or questionable items just to save a few dollars can be dangerous.
    • Expired medications can change chemically, and deliver weak or unexpected results.  And old razors or random Qtips?  Ewwww!
    • If you have no idea how old an item is, side with caution and purge it.  Practice saying this with me: “Is using this worth the risk?”.  (The answer of course is “No!”)
    • The safety of you and your family is worth a few hours spent cleaning and a few dollars spent!

Once you get rid of the icky and / or dangerous stuff, Take some tips from Retail Inventory Management:

  • Use the products you have on hand before you buy more
  • Use the Use oldest items first
  • Store similar items together so you can see what you have in “stock”
  • Make a note of the items you need to have on hand, and do a quick inventory before you head to the grocery.  Keep the list handy, and make this pre-shopping inventory step a habit.

So spend a little time this week, and get rid of those monsters lurking in the bathroom!

Spring Stirs My Soul! 9 Actions to Organize Your Spring This Week!

It has been a long and cold winter, friends, I know.  We’ve spent so much of the last few months inside, perhaps feeling closed in and cluttered.  And yet, I feel the stirrings of Spring in my Soul, regardless of what the thermometer says outside!

This week, I am energized to act!  To move forward, to lighten up, to re-fresh!  If you are feeling the same, here are 9 Things You Can Do This Week, to look back and wrap up winter while looking ahead and embracing this new season!

  1. Get outside.  Breathe deep and see the sun.
  2. Clean out your car.  Throw out the trash, drop off the bags of stuff destined for somewhere or someone else.  Then go to the car wash, and wash away the months of salt and dirt.
  3. Take down the outdoor Christmas decorations.  Come on, people.  It’s time.  If you need help, I can rent you a teenager.  But you can probably do it yourself.  Just do it.
  4. Put stuff AWAY! Christmas decorations, suitcases from travels, sports gear from last season, cardboard boxes from puchases – PUT THEM AWAY!!  If I had to choose an overall theme to most of my client hours last week, it would be “Just finish!”.  You’ll be so happy you did!
  5. Put away the really heavy sweaters and scarves – you know you’re tired of them!  I am, too.
  6. Open the windows.  Just for 30 minutes.   Exchange your old house air for some new fresh air!
  7. Spend the week Pantry shopping. Use up the food you have in the fridge, freezer and cabinets before you hit the grocery again.  Clear space and save money!
  8. Make your maintenance appointments now for April and May.  Need work done this Spring?  Get on the painter or plumber’s busy schedule now.  Carpet cleaners, yard guys, the air conditioner check?  I know there’s still snow on the ground, but you can schedule these now for the months to come.
  9. Clear the decks.  I just spent 9 minutes (yes, I set a timer) and cleaned out random things from my garage.  I now have two bags of donations to drop off, plus a bag of things for the E-Waste recycling drop off and a full recycling bin.  It looks and feels so much better in there now!

What are the breaths of fresh air stirring you to do this week?  Go Do It!

A Better Way to Hang, for National Get Organized Month!

HANGERS:

Have I ever talked about Hangers?

023Since January is National Get Organized Month, I have worked on a number of closet projects recently, helping my clients organize their clothes and closets for the new year.  As I begin to write this, I have over $500 in hangers in my van, with a return order for one client, and Container Store order to install for another.

Using good quality hangers is worth the time and money.  Why?

  • Good hangers are better for your clothing than the disposable wire ones. They provide support and leave enough room on the closet rod for each item so your clothes are less likely to get crushed and wrinkled.
  • Good hangers put some space between your clothes. For example, a client invested in wooden suit hangers for her husband’s suits, and the width of the woods and curve of the hanger provide a little space between each suit, for protection and ventilation.
  • When used together, good hangers (heavyweight tubular plastic, flocked covered or wooden) create a great visual image when you open your closet. If you are a person impacted by what and how you see (most of us are), a calming visual in our closet can help us feel cool and confident as we get ready for the day.
  • Hanging up our clothes helps us see and use what we have better.

There is a Better Way to Hang!  Here’s What to Do:

  • As your professional organizer, I will always suggest reviewing your clothes and getting rid of anything you don’t need, use or love. This hanger project provides a great opportunity to look at your clothes and purge clutter.
  • Look around your home, you may already have some of the hangers you need. If not,
  • Invest in matching hangers: tubular plastic (cheapest), the snazzy flock covered one, or even wood (most expensive). This is one instance when I suggest you shop.  You can transition your clothes slowly to the new hangers, and spread out the expense.
  • Count your current hangers (after the review and purge!), and buy the new hangers you need and just a few more. Once all the hangers are full again, you have to purge before anything else can come in. And no cheating, you are only cheating yourself!
  • Another hanger tip I heard long ago suggests “At the beginning of a season, hang all your hangers from the back of the closet rod. Then, when you wear an item, hang it back up over the front. At the end of the season, you can see at a glance what really did not leave your closet this winter. Let those items go.”
  • Use different color hangers for different family members. In our home, my oldest son has green hangers, the middle has black, and the youngest has white. We parents have our own colors, too.  This makes sorting clean laundry a breeze, and helps us find what we need when we need it.
  • Invest in really nice sturdy wooden suit hangers for your coat closet. The matching wooden hangers create a pleasing visual image when a guest opens the closet door, and the wide wood keeps space between the items.
  • Break free of old wire hangers, and recycle them at your local dry cleaners.

Spend a little quality time in your closets this week, and perhaps a little time and money at your local retailer (Bed, Bath and Beyond or Target will have the hangers you need) or on-line.  Get a new view on hangers, and improve the state of your clothes, your closets and your brain!

P.S., a few additional thoughts posted a few weeks after:

Thanks for the great feedback! I have a few more things to add, about Kid clothes hangers:
  • Tubular plastic hangers (instead of the flock covered ones) are better for kids since they can easily slide their clothes off the smooth plastic.
  • No, you do not need to buy smaller child-sized hangers for your kids’ clothing. Save the money, and use regular ones since most baby clothes will fit even on the full sizd hangers, and if not, just fold the items over the pants bar on the hanger.  

Lug, Wash, Dry, Hang, Fold, Put Away. Repeat.

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I don’t know about you, but I spend a lot of time in my laundry room. We recently updated our appliances which motivated me to re-organize the space. If your laundry room is a potential organizing project for you, too, here are some ideas to consider:

Look at what IS working:
For us, the bins for too-small clothes for my two younger sons work great, especially with the “donate” basket on the shelf between the bins. Clothes that my middle son outgrows go into labeled bins in the crawl space, to be used once the youngest son is big enough. The clothes the youngest son outgrows goes to our younger cousin or into the donate basket.

Look at what ISN’T working:

My aging washer and dryer worked only with a lot of squeaking and leaking. We replaced them – hooray! Quiet, leak-free, clean and so quick!

Got Clutter? Use up the random products you have collected over the years, then purge your recycling.

Unruly piles of clothes can indicate a problem.
   

      Is the clothing dirty?  If yes, make a concerted effort to get all the clothes actually clean at the same time. Set a timer, dedicate a Saturday, and catch up. All the way to AWAY.

 Do you lack flat space for folding your clothes?  If yes, set up a portable table or install a counter top near your laundry space strictly for sorting and folding clean clothes.

Do you have just too many clothing items, for yourself or other members of the family?  A nice family I worked with had a mound of t-shirts for the teenage sons just outside the laundry room door. The mound was almost as tall as me, so I assumed there was a table under the mound but it was all clothing. That is waaaay too many items. A friend with a large family limits the total number of clothing items per person, just to make laundry time easier. They replace things more often, but they save in space and effort!

 Do you lack a laundry system?

If yes, it’s time to create one! Dedicate a day or two a week to plow through the piles of laundry. Or tackle it every day, by completing a load every morning or every other, depending on how quickly the dirty clothes pile up.

I employ the everyday method, usually getting a load all the way to folded / hung up before we leave for the day, or before dinner. This requires a habit, but it is worth it!

Get everyone involved in the system! Even the youngest child can put their dirty clothes in the hamper, and everyone can help put away, too.

A few words about hangers:

  • Invest in nice hangers, either plastic tubular or felt-covered. Quality hangers treat your clothing better, offer a better visual presentation and help maintain a little space between your clothing on the closet rod.
  • We hang most of our clothing items the moment they come out of the dryer. This minimizes wrinkles, and cuts folding time down to about a minute a load.
  • Buy hangers in different colors for different family members, to save time sorting.
  • Purge wire hangers. They bend, rust, snag fragile items, and they look terrible. Return your hangers to your dry cleaners, most will recycle.

So, if your laundry room is the most used room in your house, too, spend a little time and effort on it this week to make it run more smoothly!

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!