7 Steps to an Organized Garage
The garage, often overlooked and underutilized, is actually one of the most valuable spaces in our homes!
Today, we’re transforming this neglected space into a well-organized and functional part of your home. Because when you reclaim and optimize your garage space, your whole home (and family) benefits!
Are you finding that your garage is chaotic?
We’re all guilty of tossing anything that doesn’t have a place right into the garage. Or we toss items that we mean to go through or donate in there as well. It just becomes a pile of all the things we intend to find a place for! Or as I like to say, the garage is the place of delayed decisions.
If you find yourself using the garage this way, there is a chance you have not resolved your organizing challenges inside the home (don’t worry - that’s a task for another day)! You can still easily reclaim your space, it’s just going to take some time and a little manpower to get it accomplished!
Step 1: Set Aside Time
The garage can be a HUGE area to tackle, especially if you have a 3-car or more garage. You’re going to need to set aside a good chunk of time to get through the entire thing. Try scheduling a weekend devoted to going through your space so everything is able to have a designated home in no time!
Pro Tip: Plan for a dry weekend! This may seem like a “duh” moment, but if you don’t think ahead to the weather, pulling out all of your belongings in a downfall is going to be tricky. Check those calendars ahead of time and wait for the dry spell.
Step 2: Remove + Sort
As you begin pulling things out of your garage, you’re going to want to sort them. Use all the available space to make sure your items stay grouped together, but spread out enough to see everything. Some of the most typical garage categories you should see are:
Sports and Recreation Equipment
Camping/Hiking Gear
Automotive Items
Seasonal Decorations
Gardening Supplies
Tools
Keepsakes
You may have a lot more items in your garage than this, especially if your garage has become that dreaded catch-all. But, as you pull and categorize your items, you may be able to relocate some of them into your interior organized areas!
Pro Tip: It’s much easier to tackle your garage organizing once you’ve organized the rest of your house. That is not to say you can’t start with the garage, but after you know how your home is organized, it may be helpful for relocating some garage items back indoors.
Step 3: Create Your Categories
Now that you have everything out in the open, you can begin creating categories for your garage organization! Not everything will fit into your categories, so you may need to find new homes for items or ditch them completely. You are going to want to categorize your items before purchasing any new bins, baskets, or containers. This will allow you to see what you need so you only purchase necessary storage, and don’t create a space for items you don’t intend on keeping.
Pro Tip: Utilize cardboard boxes as you begin to sort. They are excellent for small to medium sized items and help keep your categories separated visually.
Step 4: Trash or Donate Items
Purging is essential when we’ve let the clutter really accumulate. The garage is one of these areas where you never know what you’re going to find! If items don’t fit into the categories you created, decide if you really need them. If your items don’t fit into your categories and you want to keep them, try to find a similar category or keep them in a visible place so you can decide where to put them later.
Pro Tip: If you don’t need it, ditch it. Your garage should be a functional place for all of your necessary tools, sports equipment, storage, etc. By decluttering and donating what you no longer need, you’ll not only make the space more functional, but you may find that you pick up a long-forgotten hobby when you discover hidden items in your garage - pickleball, anyone?
Step 5: Create a Functional Layout
Visualize your space and the items you need to store in the garage. Decide where you want each type of item to be stored and how often it will be used. Want some tips?
Try storing recycling near the entrance to your home for easy access.
Tools should be near a workbench or tool storage box.
Parking space is “valuable real estate” so leave room for your vehicle (an investment too many people often leave outdoors because their garages are full).
Other “prime real estate” areas are shelves at eye level or within reach. Keep frequently used items here and put storage items on high shelves or low areas where they are less frequently accessed.
Step 6: Time for Storage Solutions
Ready to put all of your items back in the garage? Now that you’ve gone through everything and have a plan in motion, it is time to create solutions for storing everything! Remember: think vertically, not horizontally. You have SO MUCH room in your garage if you take advantage of overhead storage!
One of our favorite storage solutions for vertical organization? The Whalen Industrial Shelving from Costco!
For keeping things pest and moisture-free, there is no better solution than Iris Weathertight Storage Bins. They’re clear so you can easily see what you are looking for, they come in a wide variety of sizes so you can find a solution for just about any item in your garage, and they’re stackable and easy to move around!
Multipurpose Bins from The Container Store are a great solution for grab-and-go items you plan on storing in your garage, such as kid toys or gardening items. These multipurpose bins are great for removing just one bin to get a task done.
Large, easy-to-read labels are what you are going to want in your garage space! We suggest using the Brother P Touch to create larger 1” tall labels for your garage storage bins and containers.
Step 7: Maintain Your Space
Once you’ve invested in storage solutions, relocated items to their new homes, and found a system that works for your family, it’s time to maintain your space! Like all good organization, maintenance is the key.
You’re going to want to set aside time quarterly or semi-annually to revisit the space and make sure clutter is not accumulating again. With systems and labeling in place, you shouldn’t run into much disorganization, but it’s okay if it happens occasionally.
Our final takeaway tips and tricks for successful garage organization?
If you don’t need large cans of paint in your garage, keep small amounts in jars for easy color matching. (Many paint stores like Sherwin Williams recycle leftover paint for free, regardless of the brand!)
Remember: take advantage of that overhead storage space. There is a LOT of it!
Your garage is intended to be a functional space, so make it that way!
Your car is one of the most expensive items you own. Make a space for it and use the walls and overhead areas for the storage.
When in doubt, you can always reach out to a professional for assistance! The Orderly Space team are experts at garage organization, and can transform your messy garage into the functional space it deserves to be!
