Let’s face it—the garage can sometimes end up as the catch-all space for your family’s extra stuff. This can happen all too easily, especially if you don’t have a large amount of storage in your house. Without a proper storage plan, the garage ends up looking cluttered and messy, and in some cases, you may not even be able to park your vehicle in it!
Winter is often the worst season in terms of cluttered garage storage. Seasonal sports equipment, gardening tools, and even holiday decorations can easily be shoved onto shelves and leaned against walls, eventually creating an unorganized mess. Then you have the common winter items, such as shovels, snow blowers, and skis finally seeing the light of day during the cold months, then getting left out somewhere where they’ll only get in the way. Organizing the garage in a way that makes it act as functional storage space will help keep things looking clean and allow you to move about your activities a little easier.
The first step when organizing any part of your home is to create a plan. FIguring out how to approach a big clean-up will help you ensure that you don’t miss important aspects or opportunities. It’s important to take a step back and really assess your space thoroughly before you dive in and start moving things around.
Start with some simple questions to better inform your goals. Are there areas of the garage that might need some improvement after you shift your belongings out of the way? Figure out the dimensions of your garage and what you can realistically institute in your space. Will you be able to add more storage, or will you need to create a more effective storage solution elsewhere in your home? Going in with a plan will help keep stress levels to a minimum and maximize your productivity.
Decluttering is the next step in the process. Purge items that you haven’t used in a long time, as well as those that are outdated or broken. Pull out a trash bag and get to sorting through your kids’ old sports gear, your tool chest, and even your outdoor gear. If you come across things that can be salvaged, but you know you won’t use them, consider donating them to a family member, friend, or organization that can make use of them.
After you’ve got your garage decluttered, you’ll not only notice more available room where you can potentially park your vehicle, you might even find that you have more storage than you thought. With some careful planning and ruthless decluttering, you’ll be on your way to a well-organized and functional garage in no time!
When it comes to garage storage, you might think you are severely limited by smaller dimensions. While smaller garages do have less room, this only means that you need to get creative. Leave no storage potential unexplored! Make full use of your vertical space and even your ceiling to store larger items. If you have a taller ceiling in your garage, you can add overhead racks that can hold bins of seasonal items or summer sports equipment you know you won’t need for a while.
Don’t overlook your walls, either. One of the main reasons homeowners have trouble parking their car in the garage is because the floor is too cluttered. Using your wall space will free up those floors and have them looking spotless. Hang items like hoses, hockey sticks, sports bags, and shovels. You can also utilize wire shelving, which is great for a garage because it keeps dust and debris from accumulating. Keep the items that you’ll use the most during winter, like shovels and snow scrapers, handy so you’re not spending hours searching for them.
If you don’t already have cabinets in your garage, consider adding them. Garage cabinets are great for storing the smaller items that you typically can’t find a spot for and then inevitably misplace. You can also customize your cabinets to fit the space in your garage perfectly. Using this storage solution frees up floor space and also helps you utilize that convenient wall and vertical space. Cabinets are also good for hiding some of the more dangerous items that you may not want laying out in the open where your children might happen upon them.
Another way you can utilize cabinetry in your garage is by creating something similar to a mudroom inside your garage. If your space is big enough, consider creating an area where you and your family can take off those muddy snow boots before you enter the house. Designate a drying area for wet shoes, and keep your kids’ damp winter sports equipment in lockers nearby, so you can grab it on your way to practice.
If you’re ready to get the ball rolling on organizing your garage, let the experts from Harkraft help! With a range of products and knowledge, we can create an optimal storage solution for your available space. Our 50 years of storage expertise will come in handy when you’re looking to maximize your storage options in an efficient way! Contact us today to request a design consultation.
