Now that the harsh winter is (almost) a distant memory, we’re all anxious to roll up our sleeves and work on improving the outdoor areas of our home. Of course, we all know that spring is the ideal time to give the garage an organizing “overhaul”. To help us out, I invited Paige Norton of Top Shelf Transformations to provide a Garage Organizing 101 post that covers basic tips for banishing garage clutter and creating a functional space that you’ll be proud of this spring!
GARAGE ORGANIZING 101
Image courtesy of Monkey Bars Storage
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MAKE DECISIONS:
When you begin to go through the items in your garage, think about how often you use them. If you haven’t used an item in the last few years, you probably won’t use it in the future. Separate your items into “keep” and “toss” piles.
Once you’ve decided what to keep and what to toss, consider donating those items in the toss pile to your local charity. Donating gently used items to a local charity is a great way to recycle and give back to your own community. Now that you’ve gotten rid of unnecessary clutter, it’s time to organize what will remain in the garage.
SEPARATE & CATEGORIZE:
Now that you’re left with the essentials, it’s time to separate them into specific categories such as: sports equipment, seasonal items, tools and yard equipment. Storing multiple items together into a category will help you identify their whereabouts easily when needed.
Once you’ve separated your items into specific categories, you will then need to assign them to a spot in the garage. Think about how often you use each item. Seasonal and holiday items are used only a certain amount of times per year and should be stored out of the way. Yard equipment, tools and sports equipment are used more frequently and should be stored in an area of easy access.
Image Courtesy of Top Shelf Transformations
MAXIMIZE SPACE:
When you begin your garage organizing project, think about ways you can maximize your available storage space. Consider storing things up high on walls, above windows and doors and hanging from the ceiling. Utilizing these typically unused overhead areas allows you to take advantage of all the potential storage space your garage has to offer and keeps things up off the floor. As mentioned before, seasonal, less-frequently used items should be stored out of the way. Utilize overhead racks and shelving to store things up out of the way while still allowing for easy access to them when needed.
More frequently used items such as tools and yard and sports equipment should be stored in an area where items are easily accessible. Hang these items lower on walls and in cabinets for easy daily access.
SELECT THE RIGHT STORAGE CONTAINERS:
Avoid storing things in cardboard boxes. Sturdy, plastic bins are easier to stack and protect your items. Use clear plastic bins to help you easily identify the contents, or clearly label each bin.
SELECT THE RIGHT STORAGE SYSTEM & ACCESSORIES:
Everyone’s storage needs are different. After separating your storage items and deciding where to store them, it’s time to decide how to store them. There are many storage solutions out there. Shelving, hooks, racks and cabinets are all great options for storing items up off the floor. Select the system and accessories that fit your specific storage needs and maximize your particular garage layout.
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Paige Norton is the Community Manager at Top Shelf Transformations, northeast Ohio’s exclusive, authorized dealer of Monkey Bars Garage Storage Systems. Top Shelf Transformations provides expert garage storage and organization solutions.
If you’d like to learn more about Monkey Bars Garage Storage Systems, you can find them here:
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