Veronique Lavallee
Like any other room in a house, your garage can become a catch-all for clutter if you do not keep on top of it. A garage can be even worse because items can be placed out of sight and quickly accumulate into a
substantial amount.
The main objective when organizing a garage is to remove as many things off the floor as possible to allow easy access. The challenge as a military family is continuously starting over, but once you establish an organizational system, it is easy to replicate it in your new home. Setting up a system for the first time may be a lot of work, but it will pay off in the long run.
Step 1. Sort
As always, there is no secret to keeping a space organized: if you want to reduce the time you spend cleaning up stuff, you need to reduce the number of items you own. As a military family, remember that you will end up moving your things many times. In the end, is it really worth keeping all this stuff just in case you might need it one day?
Once you have determined what you are keeping, do a quick inventory of what you own and start organizing by category: gardening, sports, tools, pets, car maintenance, etc.
Sorting your items by category beforehand will allow you to determine what type of organizing system you need. Sometimes, we want to be proactive and buy an organization system in the store without knowing if it will actually fit our needs.
Therefore, before going to the store and purchasing expensive systems that might not work for you, spend the time sorting your stuff. It will save you time and money down the road.
Step 2. Inventory
After completing an inventory, you can see what type of storage you need. Do you have many odds and ends which would require large plastic bins? If so, how many should you purchase? Do you mostly have items that can be hung on the wall (rakes, shovels, ladders, golf bags, bicycles)?
If this is the case, count the number of hooks you need to hold up all your items. The whole point of the exercise is to ensure you know what you need when you go to the store, so make a list and have it handy.
Step 3. Organization
The key to keeping your garage organized is giving everything a place.
Bins
The best solution for odd items are large clear plastic bins. Because they are clear, you can quickly locate the bin you need. For even easier identification, the bins can be labelled with the category name. Bins can be placed in a store-bought shelving unit, or if you are handy, you can build your own shelving system with wood.
This way, you can adjust the shelf height according to the size of the bin you have bought. Also, if the height of the ceiling in your garage permits it, you can utilize this wasted space for storage. Garage ceiling storage units are sold in stores, or you can make your own with a sheet of plywood. For smaller items, the dollar store offers a variety of small plastic bins, which offer inexpensive storage solutions.
Wall storage
Walls are usually forgotten in a garage, but they are your main ally when it comes to decluttering the space. There are so many systems readily available in stores, but these can be expensive and are not always easily removable when moving to another home.
Consider buying an inexpensive pegboard with hooks or installing wooden boards with pegs. You can create a wall for hanging your tools, where you can also hang baskets or even place more oversized items such as shovels.
You can also create your own customized system for little to no money. Try to hang as many items on your walls as possible–even large items such as bicycles, ladders, and tires. By hanging these items, you will free up large areas of your garage.
Step 4. Final touches
A garage can be an extension of your home. If you have a small entryway, create a mudroom in your garage with hooks for coats, shoe storage, and a key holder.
You can also personalize your garage by painting the walls or peg board with fun colours. A nice finishing touch is painting or staining the floor. There are so many types and finishes. Who said that the floor in the garage must be gray? Why not go red? Hang up some decorations. Use your old license plates from everywhere you have lived to create a commemorative wall.
Now, you will actually want to hang out in your new space and enjoy it instead of avoiding it!
