Four Ideas to Reclaim the Garage

Garages get full fast, especially after an eventful summer season. Before you know it, you are staring at skateboards on the ground, bikes falling on top of each other, and is that Grandma’s sewing machine in the corner? Now is the perfect time to organize the garage before the colder months are here and you can get out those last minute holiday decor items. 

1. Declutter 

To truly organize a space, you have to get rid of the junk taking up space. Pull everything out and be honest with yourself about what you really need to keep, what you need to donate, and what can be tossed in the rubbish. Pay special attention to your outdoor and summer equipment, and fix anything that needs to be repaired or take it to the shop to be repaired. If purchasing new is more financially suitable, throw out the broken item. Pro tip: If you find yourself with a lot of items to get rid of, this is a great time for a yard sale!

2. Categorize

Once you’ve scaled down and have the things you want to keep, categorize them. Put your cleaning supplies with cleaning supplies, tools with tools, recreation equipment with your outdoor stuff. Categorizing will help limit the clutter because you’ll know exactly where everything is and when you go to find it, theoretically it will be waiting for you in it’s spot. 

3. Contain

After categorizing items, put the smaller items in smaller containers and LABEL them. I love the black storage boxes from Costco because they’re so sturdy, but clear bins are also great because you can see exactly what’s in them. Label containers so you know, whether you are opening Christmas decor or a box full of pool toys. 

4. Store

Your garage might not have a lot of built in storage, so go vertical. Wall pegboards are cheap and easy to use, making them perfect for tools and outdoor gear. Open shelves made from steel are great to store bins and heavy equipment. You can even buy shelving on Amazon that snaps together but is surprisingly sturdy. Do you want to keep hazardous tools or chemicals away from kids and pets? Think about purchasing cabinetry with child safe locks. If you have the budget, overhead ceiling racks are an amazing way to reclaim the floor. They’re like shelving for your garage ceiling and are perfect for storing seasonal items like decorations or camping gear. Also, bikes can be stored vertically on a wall mount or from the ceiling on a pulley system. 

With a little bit of time and elbow grease, you can turn that garage nightmare into a useable space in no time!