How To Organize A Garage

The steps on how to organize a garage are not complicated. It's important that you know what you want out of the process beyond just cleaning it up, but once you get that decided on, organizing a garage can be a fun project. Get started on these steps today, and depending on your garage, you could have it all organized in just a few days.

You will need: 

• space plan
• chalk
• tools

1. Visualize the end product. Do you want your garage to function as mostly a storage area? Do you need a workbench and tool station? Is your garage large enough to make a corner into a man cave? These are questions to ask yourself to begin the organization process. Once you have an idea of what you want to achieve, you can move ahead with step two.
2. Clean up any messes. If the garage isn't cleaned out, then get rid of the garbage and the things you don't use. If you have items you are storing, put them aside until you have your storage system in place. But give away or sell anything that you don't truly use or have a future need for. If you're married and the stuff isn't yours, ask first to avoid big problems.
3. Arrange your space. Make sure you have enough space for what you want by marking on the floor with chalk. Work within these lines if possible when you're organizing your garage. Make sure you have a clear path between your car and the door to your house, and don't put anything in that path. You don't want to be dodging things on the way to the house.
4. Time to move. Flex your muscles and get a grip on the heavy items like any table saws, workbenches, furniture or storage systems that need to be in place for your new organized garage. This is similar to how you would furnish a room, by placing the big items first. If you need to have a storage area, consider mounting an overhead shelf system to get unused items off of the floor at this time.
5. Make your space useful. Now you have some specific areas in your garage for storage, tools, vehicles, bicycles, relaxing and maybe even laundry. Depending on what you planned out, now is the time to take these organized spaces and stock them. Plan a way to store your tools in your tool area so that they're easy to get to and you can find what you need. Install any shelves near the washer and dryer that would make it easier to reach the detergent. Install hooks to hang bicycles out of the way. Then bring those things into each space and put them away.
6. Pat yourself on the back. Step back and look at what you've accomplished. This might have been a lot more work than you thought it would be, but the results should be worth it! Feel good about your achievement and keep it organized so you don't have to do it all over again next year.