Do you have a 3-car garage but can only park one vehicle inside? Is your garage full of your college kids’ dorm room furniture from 10 years ago? Do you trip every time you venture into the garage to search for lawn care items? Regardless of what is taking up residence in your garage at this moment, we can show you how to get the most out of your garage space with these organizational tips.
TIP #1: DECLUTTER!
Depending on the size of your garage and the amount of clutter, dedicate a full day or weekend to this project. Enlist family and friends to help speed up the process and make it seem less like a chore. Have snacks and beverages on hand to show your appreciation for your crew. Grab some trash bags or plastic bins and identify what is staying, being donated, going to the dump, and potentially going into storage. You can also consider a yard sale to help raise a little cash for the new car to park in your clean garage!
TIP #2: ORGANIZE!
Now that the hard work is behind you, it’s time to organize what is left. Determine how much space you need to park a car(s). In the leftover space, sort items into five categories based on the types of items and their purpose.
- Items frequently used: Items that you may frequently use, such as shopping bags, pet leashes, and umbrellas, should be stored within easy reach.
- Items used together: Auto care, gardening tools, and sports equipment usually fall into this category. Sets up zones for each group so like items are stored together.
- Bulky items: Bulkier items such as lawnmowers can be stored in the back corners of the garage.
- Items rarely used: Holiday decorations, camping equipment, and beach chairs/floats/toys are typically used once a year or less.
- Yard tools & bicycles: Items such as rakes, shovels, and bicycles are best stored by hanging on the wall or ceiling.
TIP #3: ORGANIZATIONAL TOOLS
Once you have your five categories sorted, you can assign them to their proper areas. Here are some organizational tools to consider.
- Shelving: If you don’t currently have shelving, consider going to your home improvement store for basic shelves. This is the easiest and quickest method to organize your stuff and get it off the garage floor.
- Plastic bins: Store items (preferably on shelves) in plastic bins. Label the bins or use the see-through ones for quick identification.
- Magnetic strips & pegboard: Organize your tools like a boss with these organizational hacks. Clean out soup cans to hold small brushes and pens on the magnetic strip. Install hooks into the pegboard to store heavier tools such as mallets, electric screwdrivers, and more!
If you still have items that you don’t use frequently and need to remove from the garage, consider a Zippy Shell for your needs. Our portable storage solutions can be brought to your door whenever you need them. Once you’ve packed your unit, you can store it at one of our secure nationwide warehouses for temporary or long-term storage or have it shipped to your new home. Whether it is for local or long-distance relocations or storage near you, Zippy Shell makes moving and storage simple.