Garage Organization: 4 Simple Steps

Before you start hauling stuff out, know what your local dump will accept and will not accept. And, know their hours of operation. You probably won’t want to have a pile of trash sitting in your driveway for too long.

1. Totally clean out the space. Use the driveway and yard to sort items into piles (this is where watching the weather can be helpful). Some main categories might be yard tools, sports equipment, auto items, donations or things to take to the dump. As you are sorting, ask yourself, “when is the last time I used this?” Don’t sort the small stuff, such as nuts and bolts, at this time. Put all those smaller items into a container and save the detail sorting for a later time.

2. Take the time to sweep out the garage and wipe off surfaces. Start with a clean slate. A clean space tends to stay organized longer than a dirty one.

3. Now that your garage is cleaned out and your items sorted, decide where you want to store everything. Think about zones. Some examples of the different zones you might have in your garage are sports equipment, tools and work space, auto or seasonal. Use sturdy shelving units and containers with labels. Keep the kid stuff at the lowest level for easy access and, more importantly, easy clean-up. Use wall-mounted racks to safely store shovels, racks, bikes and sports equipment.

4. Finally, you are ready to actually park your vehicles in your garage, but don't forget about the maintenance. Every organizing system requires effort and upkeep from those using the space. Remember, a clean space stays organized longer. Make it an expectation that items will be returned to their bin or shelf after each use.

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