Every household stores things in their garage they shouldn’t. It’s a practically a dumping ground for all kinds of things that have either become too worn down or you just simply ran out of indoor space.
We are taking onboard the advice of professional organizers Lisa Mark of The Time Butler Professional Organizers, Donna Jumper from Jumpstart Organizing, and Mary Hoff from Lotus Organizing & Design to guide us through the 5 steps to garage organization.
1. Gather Supplies
Before you dive right into the messy business of clearing the clutter in your garage, first gather the following supplies:
- A basket for all odds and ends
- Strong vacuum or a broom
- Heavy-duty trash bags
2. Organize Garage Clutter
Do a surface clean by sweeping the floors or busting your trusty vacuum. Look out for things like:
- Live animals
- Cobwebs
- Oil or chemical stains
- Nails and/or other small items on the floor
As you go through the cleaning process, begin decluttering by tossing into the garbage bag anything that you’re sure you can live without. Divide your stuff into the following categories:
- Toss
- Keep
- Donate
- Trash
Donna Jumper recommends you take out everything out of the space so you can see exactly just how much stuff you’ve accumulated. If you don’t have enough space in the yard to do this, simply divide the garage into zones and organize each zone before moving on to the next.
3. Organize Your Garage Into Zones
Group your items by the following zones:
- Recycle Center
- Tools
- Sports equipment
- Car supplies
Start with these basic zones and work outward from here.
4. Plan Out Garage Storage
Assign specific homes in your garage for specific items and carefully plan out where they should go. Our professional organizers recommend the following tips:
- Store away dangerous items and chemicals in a locked cabinet
- Purchase the right products or use what you have
- Utilize vertical space
5. Keep Your Garage Organized
There’s nothing like the satisfying feeling of (finally) coming home to a clutter-free garage. Maintain your organized garage by doing a quick sweep as often as you can and keep your eyes peeled for items lying around away from their homes.
Read this full article by The Spruce for more garage organization tips and tricks.