The garage tends to be a catch all for items we rarely use. Old toys, old clothes and everything else that is somewhere between junk and infrequently used, can be found there. This can lead to massive disorganized states of being. You probably have much more space than you think but you will never recognize that as long as it is buried under a mess. Clean up this area of your home and start using it wisely.
Before you begin organizing take the time to think about finding an accessible place for items you use on a daily basis. Also, think if places where you can store items you use infrequently. Use these five steps to organize your garage.
First, get everything out of the garage. Find out what you have and sort the items and categorize them. Put like items with like items and start figuring out how much stuff you have and what the best ways to organize it are. If there are items that should be in the basement or attic, put them where they belong. Items that you wish to throw out should be recycled when possible.
Separate items by purpose and use. Put up a rack to hang lawn maintenance tools. This will keep your lawn equipment out of the way but easily accessible. Put snow removal equipment together and summer items in a cabinet. Before each season, rotate your equipment. Non season items should be kept in another area.
Putting in some extra shelving and cabinets can make it easier to keep things in order. Shelves and cabinets also allow you to store more stuff with out things becoming cluttered. Mount shelves or cabinets on walls so they are not in the way. Store items that you use frequently in these cabinets. You will be able to easily locate items you use on a regular basis.
Set up accessible working areas. If your garage serves as a workshop, adding in a workbench is a good idea. Get a strong tool chest and a pegboard to store your tools and keep them in clear sight.
Move trash and recycling bins outside to the side of the house. Set up your trash and recycling bins close by for easy disposal. This will leave extra room in the garage. You also will be less inclined to keep junk because the trash will be out of sight, out of mind.
If you are handy, build the cabinets yourself. However, if you aren't a builder, buy some storage cabinets or get a handyman to install some. Organize your garage and enjoy your new found space. Start sorting through those items that causing clutter and get it in order.