How cluttered is your garage?
Fact: 57% of homeowners with two-car garages don’t have room to park their cars inside them – let alone cram anything else in. Most of us simply use the garage as a glorified shed. Where everything from knickknacks and seasonal decorations to sports gear and lawn equipment are stored. Our endless piles of belongings often render the space impossible to utilize for its intended purpose – protecting the vehicle we drive.
When all of your belongings are properly organized, and off the floor, the garage becomes delightfully practical. Whether you dread the process of organizing, or you find it strangely soothing (sheepishly raises hand), it’s a task that has got to be done, particularly since the garage isn’t going to organize itself. Now, wouldn’t that be the dream life? Here are some tips to help get you started.
Step 1: Pencil It In
With spring in full swing, now is the perfect time to organize your garage, before the weather gets too hot and another year goes by. Over the course of a weekend, you can transform your garage from a disorganized mess, into a space that is both functional and visually pleasing. If you think you’ll need the extra hands, don’t be afraid to enlist the help of your friends and family.
Step 2: Take Everything Out
Begin the process of organizing by taking all of your belongings, right down to the last loose screw, out of the garage. An empty garage is the only way you’ll be able to rediscover all of your long lost treasures. This makes cleaning, purging, sorting, and organizing more efficient; thus saving you time. Just make sure that if you’re going to make this a weekend project, that the valuables go back in each night.
Step 3: Clean the Garage
Typically, the only room of the house exempt from routine, let alone deep cleaning is that of the garage. Because of this, the garage is often full of dust, and cobwebs. Gross! Now that you’ve removed all of the contents of your garage, it’s time to break out the dry vacuum, and pressure washer. After you’ve thoroughly vacuumed up all the dust bunnies and cobwebs, turn the pressure washer on full blast, and really let loose.
Step 4: Analyze Your Garage
Continue the process of organizing by analyzing both the space your garage provides and your possessions. Ask yourself: “Have I used this item in the past six months?” “Year?” If the answer is no to both questions, then chances are that the item has already served its purpose, and is no longer needed. For items, such as seasonal decorations, it may be better to think in terms of two-years or more.
Step 5: Sorting
It’s helpful to start out by making three piles that you’ll find useful during this step: store, get rid of, and trash. For the items you wish to get rid of, consider having a yard sale, or donating to charity. The latter is tax-deductible. Once you’ve sorted out all of your items, we find it particularly beneficial, to sort “like with like.” We suggest sorting the items you wish to keep in the following categories:
- Tools
- Seasonal
- Keepsake
- Frequently-used
- Sports gear and camping
- Lawn equipment and gardening
Step 6: Install Storage Units
For this step, you’ll want to make sure that you’ve accurately measured your garage’s width, height, and length to ensure any shelving units you purchase will fit, and not hinder your ability to park in the garage. Use these measurements to purchase and install appropriately sized storage shelfs, drawer units, bike racks, peg boards, and cabinets. Don’t forget to purchase lots of clear storage bins and labels.
Step 7: Bring Everything Back In
The aforementioned storage items will restore order to your garage by providing you with a specific place – where everything must return – for your belongings. Ideally, the only things taking up floor space, should be your car and items such as your lawnmower. At this point, you should have a map of where you’re belongings are going, and where they’re hopefully going to stay. Just remember to place frequently used items within easy reach and less frequently used items further away from your reach.
Step 8: Don’t Scrimp on Safety
With room to park your car in your newly organized garage, it’s important to not scrimp on safety, particularly since you’ll be using your garage door an average of four times per day. Optimally functioning garage door components (e.g. springs, pulleys, cables, rollers, etc.) are vital for ensuring your safety. If your door is need of any repair, contact Precision Overhead Garage Door Service at (702) 637-2700.