Garage Goals 2021: Less Junk, More Accessibility's featured image

Garage Goals 2021: Less Junk, More Accessibility

 

We all have lofty expectations for the garage. It’s not only a place to park the car but where we lock-up our bikes and dump our sports gear. It’s where we unload household stuff that no longer fits indoors, where we often stash our tools and even our gardening equipment. That’s a lot of stuff, which makes parking the car (and looking for something you need) a challenge at the best of times. This spring, clear the clutter and make your garage clean and functional with a few organizational tips.

 

ASSESS

Organizing any cluttered space can be overwhelming. The key is to take a deep breath and start by dividing items into three piles. One pile for those things you want to keep, another for items you can donate, and a third is for stuff that is broken or past repair and should just be tossed. Going through this process will help you identify those things you don’t use and free up additional space.

 

SORT

Now we’ve weeded through the clutter, take it one step further and sort “like items” together and place them where in the garage you would like them to be stored. For example, if you want your bikes and sporting equipment closer to the garage door because they are frequently used, simply put those items near that area and move on. Gather everything with a handle in another spot and so forth.

 

STORE

The next step is to put in place a set of organizational systems that support all items, such as a shelving unit for small containers like a de-icer, grass seed and bug repellant. A rail or rack system that makes good use of vertical space with hooks to hang things like bikes, bike helmets, tennis rackets, snow shoes and lawn equipment. And some sturdy plastic buckets or baskets for sports equipment you can’t hang like basketballs, baseball gloves and rollerblades.

After completing this three-step process, your garage will look organized, tidy and free of clutter making it much easier to navigate! It will also be easier to maintain, simply give it a good sweep out every monthly, and return to ASSESS and SORT at least once a year.