After a summer of travel your garage may have become a catch all for everything your family takes on a road trip. It’s time to start fresh and tackle that mess. Here are a few tips to help you set up a garage you can be proud of.
Make the time
Cleaning out the garage is not simple task. Set aside a day or two and get the whole family involved in the process. You’ll want everyone on hand to help decide where to put each item so when it comes time to use it again, you can all find it easily.
Make a plan
Take stock of what you need to store and how you want your garage to function. Maybe your storage needs don’t allow a car to fit. Maybe storing your car is your first priority. Make these decisions together and then make a plan for where your lawn tools, work bench and bikes may fit best with your vehicles. Mapping this all out ahead of time will also help you diagnose what tools you need to make your project successful. If you need new shelves, storage bins, an overhead rack or hooks for the wall, make a plan to get these ahead of time.
Start at the top
It may be helpful to organize items first by how often they are used. Seasonal items can be stored on an overhead rack or on the top shelf. Work your way down the wall, with items that are used by children near the bottom. If you use your tools often, you may want to keep those in an area that’s easy to access.
Keep the floor clear
Keeping items off the floor makes it easier to get around in the garage. When items are accidentally kicked over it can have a domino effect on everything nearby. Utilize a peg board or a track system to hang tools or even bikes. An overhead rack is great for storing your Christmas tree or kayaks. These systems keep everything in a secure place and away from your feet.
Break it up
Sometimes small items get thrown into the same box or bag but breaking them up into careful containers makes them much easier to find later on. When possible, clear containers make finding items even easier.
Use labels
Labels help everyone remember where things should be put away. Be as specific as possible with your labels. When everything has a specific place it’s more likely to be returned to that slot. It also makes it easy to see what’s missing the next time you clean the garage.
Cleaning the garage takes patience. Keeping it clean can be an even bigger challenge! Take the time to do it right and you’ll set yourself up for long-term success.