The garage can be one of the easiest places to throw things “out of sight, out of mind” which can make it one of the most intimidating rooms to organize. But organizing your garage doesn’t have to be overwhelming!
Follow these simple organizing tips and you can feel confident that you can turn any garage from a disaster zone into a functional storage space!
#1- Garage Sale // Declutter
The first step to any organizing project is to declutter of course! However, decluttering your garage can come with some added benefits of being able to more easily resell supplies via a garage sale!
An annual or semi annual garage sale is the perfect opportunity to reassess what is worth hanging onto, and what could better serve someone else. This will help keep your garage clutter-free and more manageable once you start to organize.
It’s also a great way to get to know your neighbors and learn of any shared hobbies that might come up when going through your old garage supplies. And who knows, maybe in the future that neighbor down the street would be willing to let you borrow their equipment instead of you having to buy (and store) new supplies!
#2- Separate by purpose
If you’re the family member with a million hobbies, the garage might have become your catch-all zone for storage. Unfortunately, having to fish through 3 layers of miscellaneous equipment to access the supplies you’re looking for will probably lead to you engaging with your hobbies a lot less.
Our solution? Keep it separate! Create zones within your garage to separate the sports from the lawn equipment from the wood working tools.
This will help you to actually be able to access what you need to do what you love more frequently. Plus, it keeps space open and clear for walkways, workshops, and outlets for a better working environment.
#3- Think ABOVE the box
You don’t always have to choose between using your garage for storage OR using it to park your car. Consider off-the-floor storage options such as wall mounts or overhead garage storage shelves for your bulkier storage needs. Here are some examples of our favorites!
Wall Mount Storage | Overhead Storage |
#4- Use heavy-duty storage containers
Due to the nature of what is typically stored in the garage (i.e. heavy equipment, dirty supplies, large items), the garage is typically not the room that will be the most picture perfect. Rather than delicate, aesthetically pleasing containers that we would typically recommend for other rooms, the garage requires more serious storage solutions that will last through the elements and any rough-handling that may be required.
Weather-proof, sealed containers are our ideal garage storage recommendation. Since garages are not typically temperature controlled or fully finished, you need to consider protecting your belongings from extreme temperatures, water damage, and any possible vermin.
Since garage supplies are typically heavier, be sure to also look for thicker, weight-bearing bins that can withstand heavy items, rather than thin plastic containers that are more likely to crack around the corners.
#5- Use open shelving
A good goal for garage organization is to keep loose items off the floor. This keeps your garage safer (no tripping over loose cords), and makes it easier to clean. There are all kinds of shelving options available, but we recommend open shelving for the average home.
Metal or wire-rack shelving is not only cheaper than built-in cabinets, it can also be more functional and help you stay organized. Open shelving accompanied with weather-tight bins allows you to easily see and access the supplies you need. Opting for open shelving rather than cabinets can also give you some more room since you won’t need to account for the clearance needed to open the cabinet doors.
Go on step further use clear bins and/or label each bin to make it that much easier to locate and put back any supplies you use.
Our final piece of advice for keeping any “catch all” room organized is to hold yourself accountable. Once you do the work to declutter, categorize, and label, it is up to you to engage with that system so that your garage can remain clutter-free and functional.
I hope these tips help for your next spring cleaning project! Let us know in the comments below which tip was your favorite or if you’re going to try out any of these suggestions!
Happy Organizing!