Maria Polidoro asked: If you have been putting off organizing the garage because it seems like a daunting job, you are not alone. But the spring season is the perfect time to organize and make your garage space more functional, and breaking the job into parts will make the job easier.
The first step is to assess the contents of your garage and organize them by function. When you are done, you want not only an organized garage, but a functional one that keeps all of the most frequently used items accessible. One way to keep an orderly garage is to store items that are used together in the same place. Here are some examples of how you may want to group the contents of your garage by function:
woodworking supplies car washing sports equipment lawn equipment and supplies tools
Once you have everything grouped into a general category, analyze what groups of items are lacking designated storage. Too many items without a designated space will only lead to an ongoing clutter problem. If there are a lot of loose items in the sporting equipment group, for instance, designate a place for those items, such as a shelf, bin or cabinet. If there are a lot of extra tools without a home, you could benefit from a higher capacity toolbox. The Systainer line from Festool tools has a variety of storage components that fit together to give you as little or as much compartmentalization as you need.
Throughout the process of organizing your garage, try to eliminate some of the excess by getting rid of unnecessary items. Chances are that you are harboring some things in your garage you don’t want or need. Organizing the garage is the perfect opportunity to get rid of some unwanted items by recycling or donating them to a charity. This will free up some space to neatly organize the tools and other items that you actually use.
Finally, tackle the small miscellaneous items. Storage solutions abound for items like screws, nails, nuts and bolts. A great solution is a compartment box. These handy boxes are divided into compartments so you can organize your small items using any system you like. Select the right compartment box to hold your small items with room to grow if you anticipate adding to it. Alternatively, you may want to incorporate small items into a larger tool box that streamlines your garage and minimizes clutter.
A permanent storage place must be designated for everything in the garage. Without a designated place for every item, it will only be a matter of time before the clutter begins to collect once again. You may create extra storage space by installing cabinets or shelves, or using stacking bins. If you need to store more than will fit nicely in your garage, consider moving some items to an attic, closet or basement if possible. The more accessible you make items in your garage, the more likely they will be returned to their designated spots next time they are used.
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