How to Organize the Garage
All about Control and Indecisions
Life has many ironies. Just take the garage for example.
The garage is often considered as the biggest part of the house, and yet, it is the most disorganized portion. Maybe because its owners felt like they could put everything in the garage and keep the other areas clean and tidy.
The problem is, the garage is placed in that part of the house where most visitors would likely see it first. Therefore, for those people who want to organize their garage because they know that they can no longer hide the monstrous condition of the place, here are some simple tips for organizing it. With these tips, one could surely be on his or her way to displaying it or even accepting visitors in the garage.
- Clean it up! The most important part in organizing a garage is cleaning. To do this, the homeowner must remove all the big things that are in disarray in the garage. Try to sort out things. In this way, an individual can clearly identify which things are no longer needed and which are still important or useful.
- Repair wall cracks. In order to project an organized look, wall cracks should also be repaired. There are instances where some shelves or hanging cabinets might give in due to weak foundations or support. Besides, wall cracks are unsightly displays in a garage. It will only make the clutter more unbearable.
- Use some hooks. It is best to hang items that just take up huge portions of the floor area. Things like rakes, shovels, lawn chairs, sleds, bikes, etc. should be kept hanging. It is best to use some sturdy hooks to do the job.
- Items due for repairs should be repaired…NOW! Things that are due for repairs should no longer stay in the garage for another week. The best thing to do is to put them in the car and bring them to the repair shop. Pronto!
- People should learn how to give away gadgets that they cannot decide to keep or toss. Let someone else get good use out of it.
- Throw out the obsolete. In fact, things that no longer have any use are those that clutter the garage the most.
Keep in mind that clutter is all about indecision. So, if a person does not know what to do with his or her things that are kept in the garage, it’s high time they make decisions and get the garage well organized.
The Great Clutter Control
Some people just do not want to admit it, but they probably have loads of stuff in their garage that they hardly ever use. According to some reports, most people use just 20% of the things placed in the garage.
The remaining 80%? They are left hanging somewhere or scattered in different directions so that one could almost imagine that the place is already being lived in by different beast-like creatures.
The problem with most people who have cluttered garages, is that they tend to keep things for various reasons, sentimental or otherwise. However, one should realize that it is still important to clear some space in their garage.
They just don’t know it but they could make something good out of the extra spaces they have in their garage. So for people who want to clear their spaces in the garage, here is a list of some tips that they can use in order to control the clutter in the area.
Toys
- The garage is usually the most favorite place of moms and dads in keeping their children’s old toys. There’s nothing wrong with it as long as they know how to keep them in their appropriate place in the garage.
- Parents should keep in mind that it would be better to give away the toys that their children have outgrown instead of stacking them in the garage.
- It is best to throw away unwanted stuffed toys that collect dust and may cause allergies. Broken toys should never stay for good in the garage.
Shelves
- Focus on balance. Stack large items horizontally and place them on alternating sides of the shelves for symmetry. Place the rounded items like old bicycle tires or round plastic lids in between to offset the hard lines of the large items.
- Allow breathing room. Fill up the spaces on the shelves but try to provide some space in between objects to give it a little breathing room.
Storage Bins
- It’s best to keep small items such as nails, screws, etc. in storage bins or containers. If there is no extra space for these storage bins, one good solution is to screw the lids or attach them using super glue underneath the shelf.
The bottom line is that people should know that the garage is a part of the house and not a warehouse. Hence, its appearance will also reflect the personality of the occupant.
