There is nothing more frustrating than having to search for something when you need to use it. It’s a practice that wastes your time, patience, energy and money. How often have you had to rummage for your golf equipment or any sporting equipment only to finally give up and purchase the item again out of aggravation? Getting organized does not have to be an impossible task. With a little dedicated time, planning and some simple methods you can get and keep your garage organized.
How many times has spring rolled around and you had every intention of de-cluttering and organizing your garage, basement or storage unit, only to find its fall again and it never got done? Organizing and de-cluttering is an arduous task and most of us have no idea how to even begin; however, there is a better way, just follow the simple steps below or schedule your consultation today!
Plan ahead. Be sure to set enough time aside to allow you to get the job done correctly.
1) Sort & purge – create 2 separate piles (keep it simple). One for items you will keep and the other for items that need to go.
2) Decide the best way to store or contain the remaining items. This may be bins, shelving, cabinets or peg boards.
- Clear bins or containers work best because you can see what you’re storing
- Garbage cans work well for storing hockey and lacrosse sticks, oars or ski poles. Be careful not to store any items that are twice the height of the container you’re using or they may tip over
- Shelving units with wheels are great because you can move them where needed and they are easy to pull out for cleaning
- You may want to consider wall mounted specialty racks if you have significant amounts of sporting equipment, such as, skis, snow boards, fishing rods, bikes or golf bags
- Be sure to select shelving units with wide adjustable shelves. This way you will have enough room to store large bins and items of varying sizes
- Be sure to label all bins, so all family members know where to store items
3) Sort the items you are keeping into different categories. See example categories below.
- Sports equipment
- Seasonal clothes
- Surplus beverages or dry goods
- Tools
- Household equipment
- Lawn or garden tools
- Chemicals
4) Once you have all of your items sorted into categories, you can store them in various zones based on your categories.
- Use the clear bins to store loose items like sports equipment such as balls, mitts, etc.
- Use peg boards to store hand tools, power tools, brooms, and garden tools.
- Be sure to keep toxins locked away where children can’t gain access to them.
- Be sure to keep dry goods and toxic chemicals in completely separate zones.
- Do not store propane tanks inside of your garage. If the tank leaks it only takes a spark of static electricity to create an explosion.
Darla Pompilio
Your Tasks Our Time
