Family Dumping Ground
The garage is a room shared by the whole family and ends up being the room that stores everything no one knows what to do with.
Figure out how you want to use the space. Your ultimate goal – do you want to park cars in there? – will help you create a plan and determine which items stay and which have to go.
Keep Like Items Together
When you have a garage that serves many purposes, it helps to define each area so that the space doesn’t become one cluttered mess. By assigning areas to your garage, you will be able to find the items you’re looking for without difficulty.
Define your first area and follow these steps:
Remove items from the area
Sort items by type and size
Weed out the things you no longer need or have multiples of
Contain small, like pieces and parts (nuts and bolts, for example)
Label the container
Select a home for the items within the zoned area
Place the items in their new spot
Are you getting overwhelmed? Don’t stress! Instead, start small. “It’s not realistic to think you can tackle 20 years of clutter in a day,” says Izsak. “Make the easy decisions first, and start with those things you can obviously and easily pitch.”
Utilize Wasted Space
Go up! Try a peg board or wall system for accessing tools, and large hooks for hanging bicycles or other large sports equipment.
Seasonal items. The space above the garage doors is ideal for storing holiday decorations, seasonal items and other things you only have to access once in a while.
Mementos. Utilize a crawl space or attic above your garage to store cherished keepsakes, old tax documents, saved baby clothes and other items you won’t need anytime soon.
Everyday supplies. Install shelving in the area between the two garage doors to house car-cleaning supplies, window-wash solution and other similar items. Keep the shelves shallow so you have room to move between the cars and doors.
Alternate Open Shelves and Cabinets
Store the things you use most at eye level. Open shelving will accommodate items of all sizes, such as serving platters, while cabinetry keeps other things dust free. Put things you use less at the top and bottom.