Garages can be different things for different people! They are the perfect place for storing our excess belongings, tackling home improvement projects, tinkering under the hood of our collectible automobiles and so much more.
But what happens when we’re no longer able to actually park our vehicles inside? Or, uh, locate a certain tool or other item when we need it the most? All due to the disorganized mess our garage has seemed to become.
With its mound of toppling boxes and buckling shelving units, it may even be safe to say that your garage (like so many others) has become a bit of a danger zone. In honor of it being 2015, my friend, may we suggest a makeover for your garage?
Here are some helpful New Year New Garage tips, which are guaranteed to transform even the most terrifyingly messy garage into a space where you’ll be able to access (and quickly put away) the items you need, whenever you may need them.
New Year New Garage! 3 Steps for Getting There
First Step: Deciding What to Keep
Not every item serves a useful purpose. In order to get your garage in tip-top shape, you need to start by sifting through ALL of the items in your garage to see what you actually need, and why you need it.
As you come across items – some I’m sure you haven’t seen in quite some time – it pays to ask yourself this question; “Does this item have a useful purpose?” Be honest. Once you have made a decision based on logic, and not on impulse, place it in the proper pile.
Upon completion of this task, you should wind up with a large “donate or sell” pile and smaller piles for items to be stored in their ultimate destination (more on this in a moment). These small piles may include the following:
- Shop tools
- Sports equipment
- Gardening supplies
- Seasonal decorations
- And, other essential items, like auto parts.
Second Step: Determining What to Store
Now that you’ve made your piles, it’s time to determine what actually needs to be stored, and what should be displayed for easy access. If you don’t already have any, you’ll need to purchase flexible storage containers before proceeding to the next step.
We highly recommend clear containers and open racks as this allows you to visualize what you have and prevents the chaos from happening anew (we hope). Pegboards are an absolute must have for DIY homeowners.
After accurately measuring your garage and creating a detailed list of the supplies you’ll need (not want, but need), it’s time to hit up your local hardware store. Remember to only purchase items that promise to be sturdy.
Step Three: Label You Must
Once your storage system is set up and everything is in its place, you should go about the chore of labeling all containers, as well as putting labels above the items stored on the pegboard. This makes putting everything away a breeze!
Now that that’s done, you’ll want to set yourself to the task of cleaning the floor (something you quite possibly haven’t seen in some time), and ensuring your garage door is functioning optimally so that you can move your vehicle back inside.