Summer has finally arrived and with it a slew of home improvement projects. One area of the home that quickly falls into disrepair is the garage. Creating a functional and organized garage storage plan saves time, money and energy in the long-run. Knowing exactly what and where items are in the garage helps homeowners avoid buying duplicates of items already stored in the garage. Learn how to upgrade your garage from a cluttered cave into an organized and functional space below.
Assess Your Stuff
Before any storage updates are done in the garage, it’s important to review what is already stored in there. Over time, items find their way into the garage that don’t necessarily belong. Set aside an afternoon or entire day to sort through those items. Honestly answer three simple questions to determine which items stay and which items are evicted.
- When was the last time I used this item? If the item is seasonal, ask yourself if it was used during that season.
- Is this item broken? Can it be fixed?
- Would someone else use this item more than me?
If items are broken beyond repair, it’s time they saw the inside of a recycling bin or trash can. Gently used items or items that can be fixed with a little love can be sold or donated. Once items have been pared down, it’s easier to group similar items together. Common groups include yard tools, sporting equipment, outdoor gear, cleaning supplies, and seasonal decorations.
Storage Options
There are many different garage storage solutions to choose from, so it’s important to understand the end goal. Shelving can gets items off the ground, but those items will be fully visible. Cabinets store items behind closed doors away from prying eyes. Overhead racks can quickly get the lesser used items out of the way while still being accessible by ladder. It’s easy to mix and match storage solutions as well to create a custom solution to fit individual storage needs.
Park Consistently
A poorly parked vehicle in the garage can take up a ton of precious storage space. Using a parking assistant makes it easy to park in the same spot every day, creating a more organized space. Create a simple parking assistant with a length of string hung from the ceiling or invest in a high-tech solution like a laser parking assist.
Maximize Space
Using wall and ceiling space is quickly becoming a garage storage go-to. Hanging items from the ceiling makes it easy to get items off the floor and out of the way. Storing items in layers allows for easy access and more storage availability. The space above the garage door is typically underutilized – installing an overhead rack above the garage is a more convenient place to store seasonal or lesser used items than the attic or crawl-space.
Creating an organized garage facilitates more projects because the supplies are easy to find. By setting aside a day or two to give the garage a storage upgrade, it will be easier to quickly grab items and go on to other activities.
Guest author Bri Lords is from Dream Garage Storage Solutions, a garage storage and organization company helping homeowners in the Pacific Northwest.