Garages protect our five-figure investment, the car, but they can easily turn into a home dumping ground.
Everyone will find it easier to dump things they do not want to deal with into the garage.
It may not be such a big issue at first, but when the time to hit outdoor comes and you need that mountain bike, that’s when you will realize the importance of organizing your garage.
Organizing a garage is not a one size fit project, I have a large garage and re-organizing it may not be the same as organizing a smaller one. But, you can quickly reclaim your garage space by organizing on a tight budget regardless of its size.
Where to Start Garage Organization
Start organizing your garage by taking everything out, starting with your car, then other delicate items. If you have many items, it may be a good idea to take stock of everything because this will help you categorize all items and determine how to organize everything.
In my experience, planning is all that matters if you want to spend less time organizing the garage and wants to have a proper system, but more importantly if you have a tight budget.
Sort the garage item
After taking everything out, clean the garage, then sort items into three piles;
• Donation pile,
• The trash pile
• Keep file
You may not think that sorting out thing is important, but it is; sometimes a garage is full of things that we do not necessarily need; so ask yourself whether you need the item when you need it, do you love it and how safe it is to you and your family.
If you haven’t used something for six months, you probably don’t need it. Decide how you will store what you need to keep.
Every Item has its Place
If you have no idea where to put an item garage, you will be creating the mess all over again. This is why I recommended sorting the garage items first. If it’s sporting item decide how you will keep them if it’s the garden tool determine how you will organize them.
You may need to put other items in other storage places for a better organization system. Your tools need to have a toolbox or a spot on a pegboard wall. The shovel, the garden items, and other tools should all be placed in their place.
Organize Storing Vertical
The center space of the garage is meant for the car, so, other items will be placed at the edge of the garage. This means you have to be creative because this space may not be enough to store thing randomly. You need to think about vertical storage, so, nothing will be on the floor. This makes it easier to keep the floor clean and organized which ultimately means you can only keep what useful.
Start by creating a shelf on the garage wall to corral the items using store bins. Creating a garage shelf is very easy; you need some few timbers to make flames and plywood. I built my DIY garage shelves using the farmhouse bench, and DIY console table.
Hang things
Part of the vertical arrangement includes using a pegboard with hooks. Most gardening tools such as shovels and trowels have handles. You can use hooks to hand them on the wall to save space and to keep them off the wall. Pegboard hooks will cost you less than $15 on Amazon for a few pieces. I prefer National hardware hooks because they are cheap, and one kit comes with 51 pieces.
Also, they are also better quality than most competing brands. My favorite pegboards are the Wall control; they are made of steel and rarely tear out or bow issues are seen in an MDF or plastic types, especially if you expose them to heavyweight.
Tie Racks & Recycle Bin Hangers
You can also purchase tie racks and mount them on the wall, and store item such as the wrenches. Also, you should consider recycling bin hangers to prevent regular trash bin from hogging the spacious floor space or maybe being kicked around the garage.
Just find a way to hand up against them on the wall.
Use Your Garage Ceiling for Storage
If you are in need of more storage, the perfect solution would be the existing ceiling in your garage. I remodeled my garage and created a space at the end of the garage where I hang sports equipment. If you have a tight budget do not want the hassle of remodeling, purchase a garage overhead rack.
Garage overhead rack may help you store seasonal item like the holiday decoration, suitcases, legal boxes and bulky items that do not fit in your house cabinets. I would recommend the Fleximounts brand because it has a more straightforward installation compared to other racks. You will find other good overhead racks on Amazon, but it is important that you do your due diligence to determine the one that fit your needs and your budget.
Generally, overhead racks are made of high-quality industrial steel, and are adjustable so, you can easily maximize your ceiling space as needed. The largest unit often measures 8′ by 4′ and may hold up to 600 pounds of weight. The better on should have a proper attachment to the ceiling to prevent the unit from sagging or falling. Always make sure that an overhead comes with safety netting to wrap the rack.
Label All Items When Organizing
I think it is a spectacular idea to label toolboxes, drawers, cabinets, and bins. No one will have an excuse to mess around your garage, not even your pet.
A lot of DIY will be involved, so you will need to be a little creative, this way you will spend less and will have a decent garage. However, if you want to go for an easy solution, you can use accessories from the online store to ease things up.