Has your garage turned into a storage dump? Do you keep shuffling boxes and belongings around every time you park a vehicle? Does your two-car garage only have room for a bicycle? If so, it’s time to get your garage in order.
Imagine your garage as a well-organized, functional, storage space. Now, let’s get to work on accomplishing that goal. Once you get past the first couple of steps, the final part will be easy and extremely satisfying.
The initial goal is to pull everything out and divide it into a few zones: Give, Keep, Toss, Recycle. Everything must go into a category. You can subdivide your keep pile into decorations, tools, car care, sports equipment, etc. Repair or replace any boxes falling apart; combine like items into fewer boxes or airtight storage bins and label for easy identification.
Once you have cleaned out and sorted your various piles, go through and inspect the actual garage. Clean up any spills or dirt and sweep out the garage. Check for signs of rats, pests, or water damage then tend to as needed.
Sketch out your garage floor and mark where each category will go. Keep everything off the floor, if possible. Pencil in shelving on the walls and add ceiling-mounted or free-standing shelf units. Pegboard or a simple row of wall hooks can also provide easy, organized storage.
Place the least frequently used items higher on shelves. Sports and gardening equipment should be within easy reach.
Keep placing your items in storage boxes and putting those boxes in the appropriate spots. Box by box, you will make progress. Items you designated to give away could be sold at a yard sale or taken to the thrift store. Drop off hazardous waste or other appropriate items at the recycling center.
Once your garage is re-organized, reward your hard work by keeping it decluttered. Place new items in labeled containers and store in the designated areas.
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