Organizing the garage was always on the “to do” list but it just always managed to get passed over. Decorating and painting seemed like more fun. A functional and clean work space really would make even the fun projects easier. It was like asking a teen boy to clean his room. I just kept avoiding it in hopes that Mom would do it for me. Dang it, I was Mom.
A water softener and filtration system was installed (there is a whole long story behind that involving a plumber being here for two days and carbon bits E-VER-RY-WHERE). Unfortunately, the little bit of organization that we did have in the garage with some gorilla shelving had to be removed because it was right where the water system had to go. I was not about to continue to live with piles of stuff everywhere. Time to roll up the sleeves and get to work!
Sort the Crap
Can I say crap? Well, I guess I did.
Anyway, the first thing to do was an initial sort. Move the cars out of the garage, go through everything in a basic and quick sort. I had a “keep” pile which I loosely sub categorized into activities, like camping, sports, etc. There was also a pile for things to donate or sell; stuff that is fine but we just never use. The most satisfying pile was the stuff to be trashed. Junk be gone!
Get a Storage System
Even after the initial sort there was a lot of stuff. Five people= five sleeping bags, you get the picture. Our garage layout has four windows on one wall, the garage door on another wall, and the water system taking up room on a third wall. Ok, so there wasn’t much floor space to spare but we could utilize the walls and tall ceilings. We ended up installing two Safe Rack Overhead Storage Systems which we purchased online from Costco.
Not gonna lie, they were a beast to put up, but fortunately for me, my husband wanted to take on that project so I stood back and let him.
Organize into Categories
Once the storage systems were in place, I bought a bunch of matching bins at Costco and Home Depot to better utilize the shelving. When there are a lot of odd shaped bins, it is more difficult to arrange things evenly. I wanted to get as much of the stuff off the ground as possible and using bins that lined up evenly helped. Since we had two shelves, I divided them up by theme. The more inconvenient shelf by the garage door track had the occasionally used camping and beach gear, while the shelf by the workbench had the frequently used painting supplies and home improvement related items.
Once that basic sort was done, I further organized each storage bin. For example: camping kitchen, camping fuel and stoves, the enormous family tent, etc. were all in separate bins. Keep in mind that you don’t want any one bin to be too heavy. A camping trip would be spoiled if it started with a heavy bin throwing you off balance while atop a ladder. For the workbench shelving, it was important for me to store painting supplies but also have easy access. Tarps and drop cloths in one bin, paintbrushes and tape in another, and the rollers, roller covers, and paint trays in a third.
TIP:
Over buy on the amount of bins you think you need because it is really easy to return any unused items later. It is a pain to not have enough bins once you are in the groove of sorting.
TIP:
When purchasing bins, be sure to measure the space they will be stored. Maximize the space by going as tall as possible but still having room to either stack totes or remove easily from the shelves. The ones that are more square, in regards to the handles, take up less space.
TIP:
Clearly label each bin. Yeah, yeah, we all think we will remember where things are but we don’t. Even if you do remember what is in each bin, other family members won’t know. Do you really want them undoing all of your hard work by rummaging around until they find what they need?
Assign a Theme to Areas of the Garage
Keep items that are related in purpose in the same basic area of the garage. There is a camping/outdoor/sports area in one corner, a home improvement/tools area by the work bench, and a garden/home area in a recessed nook in another corner.
Outdoor Sports
A few years ago I scored some old lockers (1) that I repainted and my boys now use to store helmets, skateboards, and cleats. They fit perfectly in the corner by the window, so that dictated the area for the sports equipment. Stacking bins (2) hold the disc golf stuff, swim stuff, small balls, hockey pucks, baseballs and gloves, etc. Camping chairs (3) are hung by some of the utility hooks that came with the rack system. Not my favorite placement, but in a few years some of the other stuff will be gone and I can easily readjust the hooks. The beach chairs and umbrella (4) are also hung in a similar fashion. The teenagers that drive don’t use their bikes quite as frequently so we used the bike hooks (5) to hang them from the shelves as well. All of the bulky camping equipment (6) is stored in the racks above, utilizing bins to group similar items. The light but awkwardly bulky hockey net (7) is hung by large hooks screwed into studs on the wall. But what to do with those odd sized items like fishing rods? Here is an easy and inexpensive tutorial for fishing rod storage.
Garden
This idea of sub organizing works for each section of the garage. Much needed overhead, plug-in lighting (1) was added without having the need for an electrician. The garden area has hooks for the large tools. Above that, a shelf was hung (2) using the studs in the wall to put bins that contain items less often used like plant food, pest and weed control, sprinkler and hose repair, etc. Getting this stuff off the ground made room for storage of the lawnmower and more frequently used items. A simple battery charging station (3) for the power tools and lawn edger was easily made and provided quick access to ear plugs and safety glasses. The use of a small stacked cubby unit (4) helped to contain my small garden tool bag, my garden shoes, and a bin with work gloves. Go vertical when you can and use the wall space!
At some point, when we can leave our house, I plan to go to the ReStore in the city and find some wall cabinets. I will probably need to paint them, but I like the idea of keeping something out of the landfill and saving money during the process. Extra supplies of dry goods will most likely be stored over the chest freezer. I mean, if I ever found the need to hoard something like toilet paper, I would have a good place to put it. 😉
Side note: The unsightly metal leaning in the corner is the gorilla shelving that we broke down. We plan to use it in the future if we ever do a garage addition to the house. I may move it up to the attic, but for now it has taken residence in the garage.
Home Improvement
Home improvement and tool organization can be expensive. Save a lot of money by getting a little creative. A friend gave me some old base cabinets that were ripped out of a house. I used those and added a butcher block counter to make a work bench (2). Plastic wall mounted drawer units (3) hold all the various nails, screws, hooks etc. There is a pull out drawer for each sized item with the packaging label cut out and added to the front of each drawer. This is inexpensive but does take time for sorting.
Flexible plastic trays corral similar items in the base cabinets (see photo in “hooks” section). Line the drawers with non slip drawer and shelf liner to keep smaller tools and drill bits in place when you open and shut drawers. Using a strip of 1×2 inch board (about 89 cents/linear foot) with some brass cup hooks and screw eyes, I was able to hang the wrenches, screw drivers and pliers on the wall (4) for a fraction of the cost compared to a track system. See tutorial here.
Hooks, Hooks, Hooks
Use hooks where ever possible to help hang things. I used a double metal hook with screw mount on the underside of the garden shelving to hang the long broom and eave sweeper. A robe hook was used to hang my coveralls for when I am out in the garage painting or working. Removable 3M Command hooks are used to hang the small dustpan and broom, the dog’s tether, rulers, cords, inside the cabinets for the levels, lights and hand saws, etc. The best part about these removable hooks is that there will not be any damage left behind to a surface if you ever want to switch things around. Just be sure to use a hook that is suitable to the weight of the object it is holding.
Now that the garage is all in order, I need to get organized inside the house, too! With a place for everything and everything in its place, I can have space to work on more projects. Well, now that the garage is finished (I may tweak a few things here and there) I am feeling less stressed when I pull the car into the garage. It is a welcome sight to come home to things all clean and organized. Getting organized allows me to have much more appreciation for the process of making a house a home. 💙
Links and Posts Related to Garage Organization
DIY Basic Power Tool Battery Charging Station
Simple Wall Mounted Small Tool Storage
10 Fast and Easy Ways to Organize and Update Around the House
Installing a Wireless, Keyless Garage Entry
Get Professional Results When Caulking Baseboard
