How to Start Organizing Your Garage

When it comes to organizing our home, the area that is most often overlooked is the garage. If we’re being honest, it’s probably where all our junk goes after we complete a decluttering project inside our home. Did you know that an estimated 25% of homeowners do not store their cars in their garage? What?!?! Yes, it’s true. People have so much stuff that they often can’t park their cars in their garage! And what’s more, the garage often gets so full of items that the homeowners can’t even find (or remember!) what they have saved.

So, what’s the best way to get your car in your garage? Follow these steps and you will be well on your way to parking your car inside the garage.

Set aside a day to get the job done. This is a big job and needs a dedicated day or weekend to get it done. Grab your spouse, your kids or even a helpful friend or neighbor, mark your calendar and get started.

Pull out everything. Yes, it’s a big job but the best way to get started is to pull everything out of your garage. Use tarps, tables, or even mark your driveway with some chalk, and then …

Sort all the items into three main categories: keep, sell/donate and trash/recycling. Get rid of broken or unused toys, outdoor furniture you no longer use, items from past home repair projects, and unused sports equipment to name a few. Donate any items in good working condition. If you are going to sell items, be sure to give yourself a time frame (7 days is a good average). If the items don’t sell after that, then add them to your donate pile.

Bag up all the trash. Don’t give yourself the opportunity to change your mind!

From your keep pile, sort the remaining items into broad categories such as sports equipment, tools, trash/recycling bins and gardening items. If you have plastic bins, now is a great time to use them. If possible, add shelving units that can hold the bins. Label the exterior of the bins so you know what’s inside.

Create a floor plan for your garage. This will help you when it’s time to bin up the items and put them on shelves. Remember, keeping like items together will help you find exactly what you’re looking for.

Use overhead space. When possible, putting in an overhead rack system for seasonal items is a great way to clear up floor space in your garage.

Remember, storing items other than cars in your garage is a great way to use up the space. Just be sure to keep appropriate items in the garage…ones that are used outside and ones that won’t spoil or attract vermin. And by following these seven easy steps, you’ll be pulling your car into your garage in no time!