Parking your car outside is not an option, not if you want to keep your vehicle cleaner and prolong its lifespan. Yet, the situation in a garage could be less than ideal. It is estimated that only 30% of people use garages for their primary intended purpose, due to the fact there is too much other stuff stored there. This is a suboptimal use of this valuable room. If you want to make a difference, roll up your sleeves. The good news is that you do not have to spend a fortune to turn the garage into a man cave. There are many DIY garage organization and clutter-busting tips that do the trick just fine.
Divide and conquer
Before you start buying expensive storage units, cut down on the amount of stuff you have. You might be overwhelmed facing a big cleanout, but take a deep breath and go step-by-step. It can take a full weekend or two to put the space in order, so make room in your schedule. It is time to purge things that serve no other purpose than getting in your way and collecting dust. Like it or not, you need to go through everything, including those boxes that haven’t been unpacked forever. Sort all items into three piles: donate/sell, keep, and toss.
I would do away with objects beyond repair, overgrown toys, expired chemicals, etc. You might also have to let go of some things that have sentimental value. As for the things you want to keep, store them in cardboard boxes or stackable plastic bins with lids. Use a portable label maker so that you do not have to decipher sloppy handwriting. Apart from that, you can repurpose old jars for sorting hardware and knick-knacks. You should also learn how to properly store your extra tyres to avoid deterioration and damage.
To deal with all your castoffs, organize a yard sale or find an organization you can donate to. After this, you should have a much clearer situation to work with. Also, note that there are certain items that people usually store in garages, but are much better stored elsewhere. For instance, this is the case propane tanks that should always be kept outdoors. Try to find a more suitable storage for paper good, paint, pet food, and appliances as well. A garage is not a space for everything you do not know where to put.
Everything in its place
Drafting a floor plan goes a long way towards bringing law and order to your garage. Bear in mind that manufacturers of garage-organizing systems often provide space planning services. They can help you work out the optimal layout of the space in case you struggle to do it. To make it happen, measure the dimension and pay attention to the positioning of receptacles, windows, doors, and switches. One of the main goals is to prevent as many items as you can from occupying precious floor space, which is reserved for your car.
Next, try to group similar items (those that you use together) close to one another. Big pieces of equipment, such as a lawnmower, should go in the corner, where they will not be a hurdle when parking. Frequently used items, on the other hand, are best places near the garage door. When it comes to those you use rarely, stash them in harder-to-reach spots. Some of them could be even stored in an overhead and ceiling space.
Make every inch count
Speaking of which, make the most of the vertical dimension and install new shelving units, as well as garage staple, pegboards. They can be bought pretty much everywhere and are easy to place on the wall. Of course, they are designed to hold lightweight tools and objects, not heavy items. There are some other vertical organizing systems worth considering, such as track-based storage. It includes shelves, hooks, organizers, and standards you can easily rearrange.
Finally, bolster your overall capacities with cabinets, panelised systems, workbenches with built-in drawers, and other solutions. Bear in mind that open shelves allow easy access and might be a more convenient option than enclosed storage units. They do not hide evidence of disorder and are also less expensive. But, do consider investing in a lockable cabinet to keep lawn chemicals and other items out of the children’s reach. Feel free to think outside the box and employ creative and DIY storage solutions.
Turn a new leaf
Garages often do not serve as merely car shelters, but catchall space for everything from a lawnmower to old sports equipment. Well, this is a shame because an orderly garage is a highly-versatile space that can be used for multiple purposes. Moreover, you can pull reorganization off on a budget. Namely, to keep the disarray and clutter at bay, dive into piles of stuff and separate the wheat from the chaff. Get rid your garage of stuff you no longer use or is broken. Properly store everything you want to keep. Keep the garage clean and tidy for good.
