Category: Garage organizing | Organized To Perfection

We are in the month of June where most of the country are having beautiful weather and it is a great time to work on organizing your garage! I know we have been inside a lot during the Stay-At-Home orders in all states and this is a great reason to work on organizing your garage and getting some fresh air. Some garages are a black hole for people and/or dumping ground and you never want to deal with the space. Here are 4 tips to help with organization in your garage area:

Tip #1: Start the process of sorting/purging and organizing all of your winter items in your garage. Did you break the shovels/ice scrapers and can they can be thrown away? Are there clothes in the garage that you forgot to bring into the house and are dirty/worn out or are too small now? Just look at the winter items and really determine if you need to keep it for the next season or you can donate them, throw away or bring into the house and put them where they belong.

Tip #2: Really try to go through your tools and put together all of the tools that are the same. You may find out you have 5 hammers which may be fine but some may not work as well or the handle is broken. If you really do not want to purge your tools or you can’t pair down the tools, make sure they are organized so you can find what you are looking for! You can find many tool organizing items at Home Depot, Menards, Lowes or Ace Hardware. You can get a tool chest or a tool storage bin where you can sort and organize all types of nails and hardware.

Tip #3: I always recommend having some type of shelving unit in your garage. I suggest getting the freestanding shelving units that can be put together easily. Depending on the type of shelving units you get, they can hold up to a few hundred pounds per shelf. The shelving depths range from 14″, 18″ and 24″ and purchase the ones that work out best in your space. The 24″ depth works out best for storage bins but may not fit as well in the garage so purchasing the 18″ depth works out well also! They can be moved around to whatever area of the garage or outside space you may need it. The shelving units can hold bins, boxes, large tools etc. and will keep your area neat and organized!

Tip #4: Do you want to get your car in your garage? I know this seems like an interesting question but many people use their garage as an additional storage space and not for what it is meant to be; a place where you keep your car. If you have large items that you need in the garage like a lawnmower, snow blower, motorcycle, other large items, than maybe a shed on your property is needed if possible. If you want your car in the garage and need the extra space, there are several options to keep your garage items/equipment in the shed where it is out of the way and protected.

Garages are meant to store only a few categories and where a car is parked and not to be a black hole where you can not find anything! Enjoy the great outdoors and take some time to go through the items in your garage and get it organized where you can find all your tools, summer items and park your car! If you have any questions about the organizing process or need additional help, please contact me at beth@organizedtoperfection.com and I would be happy to help you. Thank you and have a wonderful and safe summer!

Now that the weather is getting warmer and the flowers are blooming, I bet you are spending more time outside and enjoying springtime! Also this is the time of year when you notice your garage is in disarray and you have been piling things up in there. I know many men find the space of the garage their area and us women are not allowed to touch anything in the garage! Here are some organizing steps to get your garage better organized to where you are not embarrassed if the neighbors drive by and see your space.

The first step is to only look at ONE area of the garage to organize and not think of it as a whole. Do you want to get your tools in order, throw away and recycle old kids toys, or deal with broken garden items? If you decide to work on the kids area of the garage, throw away balls that are damaged and donate or recycle toys that the kids no longer play with. Also check out the bikes to see if the kids are too big for the bikes now. If the bikes are too small, now is a great time to donate them so other kids can enjoy riding a bike this summer!

The second step to make the items in the garage that you use on a regular basis accessible. For example, keep the dangerous tools and items away from your kids reach. And in the same context, have the kids toys and bikes easy for them to get to and put back when they are done. If you can and have space, move the snow blower and other winter items to the back of the garage and the summer items to the front. If you need shelves to hold items, measure the space and go to your local hardware stores to find the correct shelving units. Most of the time a 18″ or 24″ deep shelving unit will fit just great to hold your kids items. Also make use of your vertical space and add some slatwall to the area to hang garden items, hoses and tools.

The last step to getting your garage organized is to know that this area will always be in constant change. In some parts of the country we are dealing with winter and summer seasons and other parts stay in summer like weather all of the time. Most of the time your family or yourself need a drop zone in your garage for things that you will deal with soon or just need a place to put the groceries down as you get the kids settled in the house. This area should be close to the door going into your house and you can have a large bin or basket that can hang on the wall or a freestanding unit to place the bin. Every few weeks you will need to see what you have in that bin or basket and deal with the items. Keep it neat and organized or you will find that the items will start taking over the rest of your garage.

When you start a project always know that you don’t have to work all day to finish it. I always advise that if you have a few hours to work on a specific area to organize, only work on that area and finish it! Taking on a project as the garage will happen in several steps and work on one category at a time so you will be focused in that area and you will feel a great accomplishment in the end. Take advantage of the spring weather and enjoy getting your garage in order! If you need additional advice or suggestions, please contact me and I would be happy to help you work through your project.

Organizing your garage in the summer!

Garage Organizing

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