Whether you are looking at buying or selling a home there is one important fact that you should keep in mind. A family that is growing needs more space. There never seems to be enough storage and room for a growing family. Individuals already expect the inside of a home to be in perfect condition, which is hard when the chaos of unorganization ensues. Most individuals don’t expect the garage to be more than an empty room. This is a lot of space that can be utilized to help declutter your home (and all the stuff you may or may not have piled in the garage).

If you are selling, an organized, well-maintained garage with plenty of storage for a growing family may make a difference in the sale. It can help give your home something other homes do not have. This can increase the selling price and help it stand apart from similar homes. You can increase the value of your home by showcasing the potential of the storage space you have created in the garage. This is easy by organizing the garage into an area where buyers can visualize the storage potential. It can be the cherry that makes your home sell. One thing is certain whether you are buying a home, selling your home, or just looking to declutter your home: organizing the garage can add the storage space you need to make a difference. Here is your guide to removing the chaos from your garage.

 

 

Making a Plan

Organizing a cluttered garage can feel like an overwhelming task. The garage is often the “catch-all” of the home. A catch-all is a space of the home where all the random things that have no place tend to accumulate. This causes the space to become a cluttered nightmare that can feel intimidating to try and tackle. Making an effective organization plan can help assist you in your project.

 

Remove Things That Don’t Belong in a Garage

Step 1- Minimize the Mess

Most people have a lot of things in their garage that should not be in there. Typically, there is probably a good bit of things in your garage you haven’t seen in years. If you haven’t seen it in years, then you probably don’t need it. You didn’t miss it before you saw it. Yes, there may be memorabilia in the garage or family heirlooms that you do not want to part with; but you can probably find a better use of it then leaving it in the garage area to gather dust.

Many individuals find that there is a lot of trash in the garage. Sometimes the trash is obvious and other times it is hard to locate beneath all the clutter. Bring out trash bags or label an old box for trash and/or recyclable materials and remove the junk from the garage. There is also probably a good bit of stuff in the garage that you do not need anymore. There are things from when you moved ten years ago that you never unpacked. You do not need the crockpot from ten years ago, chances are you have replaced it by now. If yours stops working, chances are you will buy another one. A lot of these items can be donated, or you can have a massive garage sell and make a little extra cash to spend on your renovation project.

 

Step 2: Organize the Chaos

There are also things in the garage that just do not make sense to have in the garage. These items can be stored in other areas of the home and all honesty, it would be more practical not to have them in the garage. When you find a place for the belongings in your garage you’ll be surprised at how much space is left. Once the trash and clutter are removed; The mess seems a lot less intimidating.

Now that the things that do not belong in the garage, the things you do not need anymore, and the garbage is removed; you should only be left with what needs to be stored in the garage. Now you should be able to easily sort through the remaining chaos so that you can create a storage system that works for you. A good way to do this is to make a category list and then place belongings in a pile for each category so you can see how much storage is needed for each. Some category ideas are camping supplies, outdoor toys, gardening, sporting equipment, shoes, trash, ladders/tools, and vehicles. 

At this point, it is time to start the planning process. If you are going to organize the garage, making separate sections for each category makes the most sense. Keeping all of the items that are similar in one space can help not only increase the appeal of the garage but can make the items in the garage a lot easier to find and use. The problem is figuring out how to store each section; not everything will be able to be stored in, say, Garage Cabinets, so you may need to get creative and come up with a variety of solutions. Here are some ideas.

 

Creating the Perfect Organization System

The garage is clean. The clutter is removed. You are only left with the things that you need to store in the space. Now it is time to figure out ways that you can effectively store the rest of your belongings. Here are some ideas to create a functioning storage system.

 

Overhead

The ceiling is the perfect place to store items. An effective overhead garage storage system can make the difference in whether or not you have enough room to store everything in the space. The ceiling is excellent for hanging long ladders. There are different types of rope that you can use to hang your items. Hanging shelves can also be useful for storing camping gear and gardening supplies, or other items that are used seasonally. This helps keep these things out of the way until you need them and in a location where you can find them. You must leave enough room for the garage door to open and close if you decide to add hanging shelves and make sure that you allow room for your vehicles.

Shelving

Wood or wire shelving is also a good idea instead of using cabinets. Using open shelves to store things on will allow you to see what is where. Cabinets have to have enough space in front of them for the doors to open. This is going to limit the functioning space you have in your garage. If the cabinet doors are not hiding the mess, you are more likely to keep it clean. Open shelves can not only increase the functionality of the garage but can help ensure you maintain the storage system you have put in place.

Pegboards

Pegboards are a lot more useful than people give them credit for. These are perfect for hanging the things that are often used in your garage. You can attach hooks and pegs to the board and create a display that enhances not only the appeal but the organization of the space. It’s perfect for hanging tools, gardening supplies, and any other hardware items you have. Pegboards are sturdy and it is easy to reorganize the belongings on a pegboard. You can put as many pegboards that will fit on the garage walls to enhance your space, or use just one. It is up to you how many you need. The point is that it can help display your tools, help you find what you need, and greatly reduce the clutter.

Slatwall

Stallwalls are grooved panels that can easily be attached to the garage wall. Once installed, you can attach hooks, baskets, shelves, and brackets to the grooves. This means that this type of storage system is versatile and can be used in many ways to ensure you have space for almost anything you need. Slatwall is adaptable, does not utilize a lot of space, and is generally an affordable storage option.

 

What About Specific Items?

The best news is that when you create the perfect garage storage system, you can fit almost anything in your garage. Some things will need climate control or other types of protection; so you may want to check and make sure the garage is set up to store items that require additional protection measures to keep them safe from temperatures and humidity before storing sensitive belongings in the garage. Barring this, however, there are many storage solutions you can use for almost anything you want to store. Here are some ideas for storing specific belongings.

 

Bikes

If you own a set of bicycles you already realize that they can take up a lot of the floor space in your home. The best method for storing bicycles is to hang them up. If you hang them correctly, you can access them easily, keep them safe, ensure they are not in the way, and clear up floor space.

Sports Equipment

Many homeowners store sports equipment in the garage. Let’s face it, no one wants sports gear cluttering the inside of their home. You can sort the gear so that you can easily access it rather than leaving it in a cluttered pile. After you have sorted through the gear, you can store larger items on shelves and use baskets to hold smaller equipment. Mesh laundry baskets are a cheap way to store balls and keep them ready to throw in the back of the car.

Tools

Finding the right storage system for tools can seem impossible when they are all thrown in a box or drawer. It is also difficult to find what you need when this happens. One of the best ways to store tools and ensure that you can get what you need is to hang them on the wall. Using the pegboard or Slatwall mentioned above can help you create a system that is organized and easy to access. You can mount belt racks in the garage for hanging smaller tools as well.

Golf Clubs

Are you a golfer? Do you want to be a golfer but your clubs have been lost in the chaos of your garage for years? The first thing you want to do when storing golf clubs is to make sure that they are clean and dry. Clubs are sensitive to temperature and humidity so it is important to remember that if you store your clubs in a garage without temperature controls it can result in damage. If you have a climate-controlled garage, the best way to store the garages is covered and put in a corner where they will not constantly get knocked out of the way.

Camping Gear

Camping is an excellent and affordable family activity that gets everyone out of the home and into the outdoors. Planning a camping trip is difficult if you are unable to locate your gear. One of the best ways to store camping gear is in labeled totes. If you use small totes, you can get a bigger tote with wheels. When it is time to go camping, you can place the small totes with the correct labels of what you need in the bigger tote and make packing so much easier. It is important to keep gear clean between trips so you do not have to replace it.

Garden Tools

Do you have a lot of lawn tools? Managing your lawn tools where you can get to them and they are easy to locate is an excellent way to ensure you can find what you need to maintain your yard. Using a vertical system can help you keep your tools in good shape. You can hang weed whackers, rakes, hoses, shovels, and other gardening tools using hooks or racks mounted on the wall. You can even add a gardening section to your garage by repurposing an old desk into a potting bench or workspace for gardening. Once you have a workspace set aside, you can add hooks and baskets to hold smaller tools and gloves.

Kayaks

Maybe you have a boat that you need to store when you go camping. If you have a kayak that you are trying to store it must be away from heat and sunlight. You can use a suspension system to hang the kayak from the ceiling. It must be clean before you store it and remember to keep the bottom protected. The best way to protect the hull is to keep this part of the boat toward the ceiling when hanging it. Having a ceiling storage system installed is worth it when you see how much space you can save.

 

What If I Clean My Garage and Have Nothing to Store?

Utilizing a storage system is an excellent idea even if you have nothing to store in it. If you do not need the space, you can use it to bring in some extra money every month. Your neighbor, brother, or best friend may need the storage space. You can implement an effective storage system and then rent it out to someone you know to make extra money. Renting storage buildings are expensive, so keeping the price of renting your garage lower can help you earn some extra cash while doing something nice and helping a friend in need.

 

 

 

 

Published: 2020-10-13 19:52:19