We don’t know about you, but we’re good at throwing things into the garage and claiming we’ll get to them later…but we never do. But with summer behind us and the holidays quickly approaching, we figure now is as good of a time as any to get things organized. If you’re already dreading the thought of cleaning out your garage, we’ve got some organization tips to make the process a little smoother.
Jump Right In
Once that garage door is open and you’ve got some tunes blasting, you just have to start. As tedious as it sounds, plan on going through every last thing in your garage and set up piles to stay organized: keep, donate, recycle, and toss. Your donation pile should include items that are in good condition and still useful, just not to you.
Draft Time
Once you’ve taken care of the trash, recycle, and donate piles, it’s time to tackle your “keep” items. The point is that by the end of this project, your garage will be tidy and flow well. Start by putting similar things together. For example, create one zone for gardening tools, one for holiday decor, one for bikes, etc. From here, spend a little time thinking about where you want every category to go.
Embrace the Pegboard Lifestyle
(image via adobe)
A pegboard can be a lifesaver for storing smaller, lighter items, especially if you use these items frequently. Pegboards are easy to install, can be cut to size, and can be painted to customize their look. Make digging for tools a thing of the past by attaching hooks, baskets, and shelves to your pegboard as well.
Our Pick: Wall Control Metal Pegboard Standard Tool Storage Kit ($136.94, shop here)
Add Wall Shelving
Depending on your needs, you can purchase wire shelving units to line your garage walls or install floating shelves. For example, if you have a lot of large tools or seasonal decor in boxes or totes, wire shelving will be the way to go because they’re sturdier and give you more space. On the other hand, if you have smaller items like extra cleaning supplies or sports equipment, you can probably get away with floating shelves.
Our Pick: Uline Chrome Wire 4-Shelf Starter Unit (starting at $158, shop here)
Biker Gang
If everyone in your household has a bike, consider installing an overhead storage rack to free up floor space. Just make sure you don’t hang anything that interferes with how your garage door operates or that anything hanging from overhead storage could scrape your vehicle(s).
Our Pick: Saris Cycle Glide Home Bicycle Ceiling Rack ($244.99, shop here)
Totes Accessible
(image via the spruce via from rookie to rockstar)
One of the best ways to organize your garage is by using clear plastic storage bins or totes. This way, you can see exactly what is inside each box when you need to locate items. Adding external labels is also helpful. The bins with items you use more frequently should be stored in easy-to-reach spots; you can place the containers with items you don’t use as often in harder-to-reach locations.
Our Pick: Sterilite 66-Quart ClearView Latch Box ($10.29, shop here)
Squeaky Clean
Once you’ve got everything in its new place, it’s time to sweep up all the dust, hose the floor down, and set out any pest traps that may be necessary.
Do you have any garage organization tips? Share them with us in the comments below!