Getting your garage organized is one thing. Keeping it organized is another!
When it comes to garage storage, the systems and tools you use can make or break your ongoing organizational success. If things are easy and make sense to you where they should go, putting them away becomes second nature. But when your processes and systems aren’t able to be kept up with… well, we know how that can go.
We’re sharing 5 tips we use when it comes to garage storage and keepings things organized! Feel free to borrow from our tips, but also remember that it’s okay to make them your own. Figure out what works best for you, and keep with it!
1. Create “kits”
While you may traditionally think of “kits” in terms of “tool kits,” kits can be made for all different types of items. Kits allow you to store things together that otherwise may get lost, separated, or even thrown away. Kits are perfect for small items like tools, batteries, nails, holiday decorations, and more.
To make a kit, simply pull together all of the items you want included. Try to have all of the things together that you’ll need for that kit, such as the tools needed to secure your holiday lights to the house, not just the lights themselves. Box it all up, add a label (we’ll talk about this more!), and put it away wherever it belongs.
2. Utilize vertical space
Garage spaces often have fairly high ceilings or open rafters that allow for extra storage space and plenty of vertical room to use. If you’re not already capitalizing on your up and down storage options, you need to.
Pegboards, hooks, and other ways to hang or store long, flat items like brooms, mops, and kayaks can completely transform your garage. If these items usually take up space on the floor or an entire corner of the room, try hanging them or getting them stored upright.
3. Create a work station
This might not be the most practical area of the garage for everyone, but for those who love to work on projects, build new toys, or who need an area to actively have things from storage out for use, a workstation is a wonderful catch-all that makes even the unorganized areas still organized.
By having a dedicated workstation, you know that the items currently out are in use. Once you’re done with that project, just be sure to clean up and put things back away where they should go.
Your workstation can include a desk or built in, stool or chair, and even whiteboard or chalkboards for notes and details that will also help you stay organized.
4. Add labels
Back to labels – one of our favorite things. If you have a hard time finding items in your garage but know “they’re in here somewhere…”, labels help take the guesswork out of what is in each storage container. Labeling items can be as simple as taking a sharpie to a cardboard box or printing off adhesive labels.
You can label individual items, boxes, your kits, and even shelves.
5. Dedicate zones to your space
While it may be tempting to throw everything into bins and stick them wherever they’ll fit, the garage (and any space!) will be much more functional if items are organized into zones with similar items.
If you’re starting from scratch with a completely empty garage, we recommend planning out your zones ahead of time. And for those who are in the middle of organizing, try to sort like things together.
Keeping zones allows for you to know which area of the garage to even start looking in for something. While labels go a long way, guessing where to start reading labels isn’t the most efficient. For example, you can keep one area of the garage for house projects, one for sports equipment, and another for lawn care.
Getting Started
And voila! These tips are sure to help you get organized – and stay organized long into the future. If you’re not sure where to start or have other questions about making your garage space work for your organizational needs, we would love to help.
Talk with our experts today or schedule a free consultation for your space!