A packed garage makes organizing the rest of your home difficult. Rather than living with the problem, it’s time to whip your garage into shape. With these six simple tips, you can have your garage looking better than ever.
#1 Remove everything
It may seem daunting, but it’s important to begin your purge with a clean slate. Pull out all of the junk and give your garage a good cleaning. A pressure washer is the ideal garage-cleaning tool, but soap and a garden hose will also do the trick.
#2 Decide what stays or goes
Pick through the items in your garage and sort them into “it stays” or “it goes” categories. Keep any valuables and ditch anything too old or too dirty for proper use — along with rarely used items.
#3 Invest in organizational supplies
If your current garage is a mess of piles, it’s time to take a new approach to organization. Consider cube storage units, shelving units and plastic bins with drawers. Look for industrial-quality options rather than aesthetically focused interior pieces. The equipment in your garage tends to be larger and heavier, which calls for heavy-duty options.
#4 Maximize vertical space
Too much clutter in one place just leads to another mess down the road. Instead, maximize your use of vertical space. Most garages have three open walls, which provide extensive possibilities. Consider wall hooks, tall shelving units or ceiling storage to keep your possessions organized and visible.
#5 Group items together
Instead of throwing caution to the wind, create an organizational system that makes finding items a breeze. To make this process easy, group similar items together. By maintaining a consistent theme, you’ll be able to find your possessions right away.
#6 Use labels
Labels may sound like overkill, but when it comes to digging through drawers and boxes, you’ll thank yourself later. Take a few minutes with a label gun or a Sharpie to throw a label on anything not obvious. Labels work best for cardboard boxes, opaque drawers, bags and bins.