Are you tired of parking your car in the driveway because there isn’t room in your garage? If so, you aren’t alone. Many homeowners that have a two car garage can’t enjoy the perks of covered parking because their garage is filled with everything but a vehicle. From lawn equipment and sporting goods to holiday decorations and tools, the garage tends to be a catch all for many items. So, how exactly is one supposed to find the time (and the space) to organize all of this stuff? Consider the following tips for turning your cluttered garage into a perfectly organized masterpiece.

Remove and Purge

The first step in decluttering your garage is to take everything out of it. You will be surprised to find that a good portion of the items cluttering your garage are things you no longer need. Go through each item and sort it into piles: keep, sell, donate, and toss. Throw away any trash or broken items and take recycled items to your nearest donation center. Once you have sorted through the items and purged what you don’t need, your pile of belongings should be much smaller and more manageable.

Give it a Good Clean

Aside from when you first moved into your home, this is probably the only time your garage has been empty. That makes it the perfect opportunity to give it a good clean. Sweep out any leaves or cobwebs and give any shelves or cabinets a good wipe down. You can also pressure wash any oil or chemical stains. It is much more enjoyable to organize a clean garage.

Organize the Garage Into Zones

The garage is home to a variety of items so it is highly recommended to organize your garage into zones. Begin by sorting your remaining items into groups with other like items. Examples of zones include:

• Car supplies (windshield wiper fluid, antifreeze, car wash and wax, headlight bulbs, etc.)
• Lawn equipment
• Tools
• Sporting Goods
• Holiday Decor
• Miscellaneous

Invest in Storage Solutions

Assess your garage storage space and decide which items still need a home. Perhaps you need some bike racks to hold your family’s bicycles. You might need a wall system for organizing tools. You can purchase some basic organizing supplies such as shelving, crates, wall hooks, baskets, and airtight storage containers. Don’t forget to take advantage of every inch of space as well. Walls are perfect for hanging rakes, brooms, bikes, and sports equipment. You can even hang things from the ceiling like kayaks, paddle boats, and skis. In order to keep things as tidy as possible, you want to free up as much floor space as possible. Things like bats and balls can be stored in bins and baskets while holiday decorations can also be kept in plastic storage containers and stored on shelves. Once you have a dedicated space in your garage for each zone and a specific storage holder for each item, you are able to begin putting items away where they belong.

Not All Items Should Be Stored in a Garage

Many people store items in their garage simply because they have no other space in their homes. However, there are certain items that should never be stored in a garage and need to be moved to a climate controlled area. Some of these items include

-keepsakes and photos

-clothing

-books

-electronics

-dog or cat food

-fire wood

-sleeping bags

-furniture

-any flammable items such as propane, gas, oil, or cleaning chemicals

The humidity and temperature fluctuations can damage many of these items and some of these items can attract unwanted pests. Any items that are temperature sensitive should be stored either in the home or in a climate controlled storage unit.