Things You'll Need:
- Organizing buddy
- Trash bin
- Donation boxes
- Garbage bags
- Broom and dust pan
- Sorting bins
- Labeler
- Organizing products
- Measuring tape
- Notebook
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Step 1
Like the kitchen houses more than dishes and pans, garages today house much more than cars. Circle the following categories for your garage:
Gardening center/ hoses and shovels etc..
Tool center and creative or repair workshop
Lawn equipment
Snow equipment
Pool equipment
Seasonal activities (snowboards, boots, bikes, soccer & sports gear
Camping equipment/ coolers
Motorcycles and ATV
Household extra supplies
Home gym
Laundry
Home Storage
Holiday Decorating Storage
Extra fridge
Extra freezer
With out the proper storage to house these supplies, a person is destined for disorganization in the garage. Stacks and stacks of boxes also are a fire hazard. The goal of the garage is to be able to park, use the space for a variety of tasks, easy storage and retrieval. -
Step 2
To begin designate your own purpose for your garage. Write down your categories and draw a map of the spaces you think each category might go. If you have no built in storage, contact a closet or cabinet company to come give you a bid. It's pretty economical and adds to the value of your home as well.
If you like a bit of a challenge, Lowe's has a great "do it yourself" garage system that you and your organizing buddy could install yourself with the proper tools. -
Step 3
Plan for a whole day to eliminate and sort.
• Remove everything from the space you wish to organize and place on the floor to be sorted. Work one section at a time.
• As you go through the sorting process, ask yourself these questions:
o Does this item fit the designated purpose of this space? If not, move it out!
o Does it work? If not, either fix it in the next week or get rid of it.
o Do I have any need for this? If not, get rid of it.
o If it's part of a set, is it complete? What is the energy of the item? Is it being honored.
If you cannot find a way to honor your possessions, let them move on. Sort like items with like and set a boundary for yourself to limit how much you will keep.
Donate books, clothing, magazines, old sports equipment.
Fill old paint with sand and let it dry before taking it to the dump. Or call your city to find out specifics on paint.
Any American flag that is ruined - give to your local boy scouts. They have a ceremony for taking care of damaged flags.
Take a picture of items from your past, or display them in a frame or shadow box. If the item is not honored, it is just sucking energy and space. -
Step 4
Contain the sorted items in your garage.
Consider peg boards, bicycle hooks, a planters table or work table, built in storage, clear labeled bins.
After sorting and assessing the design and space in your garage, measure for the size of containers or shelving you will purchase. Lowe's has a large, heavy duty, industrial strength shelf that I love and a sports organizing rack for an economical price. I also like the drink bin they sell. It keeps bottled water and 2 liter bottles off the garage floor.
Put everything into the storage containers and put the containers in their designated spot. Label everything and where it goes and everyone in the family will know just where to put everything away.
For example: tool racks, sports equipment storage organizers, shelving and drawer units.
STORAGE TIPS FOR REFERENCE:
• Store similar or related things together and label the containers.
• Use see-through plastic storage containers.
• Store things used most often in the easiest-to-reach places, and things used less often in the harder-to-reach spaces.
• Store items on the counter only if you use them regularly (at least 2-3 times/wk.). Otherwise, put them away.
• After completing this process, discipline yourself to put things back where you found them. Encourage others in the family to do the same.
. Touch up garage at least once a year.
Good luck!
