How to Get The Most of a Small Garage Space

Here at Harkraft we know that a small garage can mean big problems. If pulling into your garage every night feels a little like parting the odds-and-ends sea, then you might be looking for some space-saving solutions. Even if you mostly have the obligatory garage clutter well in hand it never hurts to be a little bit more organized. After all, looking around for your trusty gardening tools after a Twin Cities’ winter can be a frustrating experience without the proper storage system. If you are ready to get the most out of your garage space, then here’s a handy step-by-step guide for you.

1. Keep What You Need, Sell What You Don’t

First thing’s first, you will most likely have to get rid of some of your garage clutter. It can be hard to sort through your beloved tools and choose winners and losers, but even the most optimized storage systems have a limit to how much stuff you can stuff into them. Start by getting rid of everything that’s broken. You might be surprised how many broken things you’ll find in your garage. Improperly stored items can easily be broken in your garage. Harsh temperature swings and humidity issues take their toll on your belongings. Throw out the garbage and then move on to the working duplicates. It’s unlikely that you’ll need that second claw-hammer or that fourteenth string of Christmas lights. Have a garage sale or donate these items to a charity of your choice.

2. Find Containers for Little Odds and Ends

You are likely to find a lot of screws and nails and all manner of nuts and bolts while cleaning out your garage. Don’t throw these out! Instead find jars or other small containers to keep them together. The containers you settle on should be clear so that you don’t have to guess at their contents every time you want an extra nail. They should also have a very sturdy top. The last thing you want is for all those tiny, sharp objects to spill out on your garage floor. That’s just asking for a flat tire or worse.

3. Sort by Task

Now that you have only what you need you can start thinking about how you want to organize what remains. A lot of people will organize their garages much the same way that they organize their kitchens. Forks go with forks and wrenches go with wrenches. But what’s best for the kitchen isn’t what’s best for the garage. Instead of sorting wrenches with wrenches try sorting your pipe wrench with your plumbing tools and supplies and your torque wrench with your auto gear. That way you won’t have to sort through a bunch of tools you don’t need any time you have a project.

4. Customize Your Wall-Storage

So now you have what you want to keep and how you want to sort it. Great! But where are you going to put it all? You don’t want to roll in a bunch of bulky tool chests. Their size tends to overwhelm a smaller garage. However, bulky built-ins can cost a lot of money and they’re often not adjustable. What you need is customizable, adjustable wall-storage that fits with your sorting-system. That’s where Harkraft’s garage systems can help. Our adjustable wall-units are designed with your garage and preferences in mind. We know that your garage storage needs change over time, so our cabinets are interchangeable and you can rearrange them as needed. They provide the storage space and feel of built-in wall-unit with added flexibility.

5. Utilize All Space

Customizing your walls is important, but don’t forget about those often overlooked spaces waiting to be filled. If you have open rafters take full advantage of all that extra space. Put down some sturdy but light-weight boards between the rafters. This space is perfect to store out-of-season items like holiday decorations or seasonal tools. if you don’t have open rafters in you garage, then ceiling hooks can still provide some space relief. Also, don’t forget the space above your garage door. Putting wire shelving here can add quite a bit of storage without obstructing your garage door. Don’t worry about it crashing down on your head or car. When properly installed by Harkraft workers our wire shelving can hold up to 75 lbs

If you are ready to optimize your garage, then schedule an appointment with Harkraft today. We’ll work with you to select the storage solution that works best with your garage and preferences.