The weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer… that means that it’s time to clean out and organize the garage! Let me help with some Do’s and Don’ts to set you up for organizational success!
DO Move the cars out of your driveway first. You are going to need space to take everything out of the garage, so you can sort through items.
DON’T just pile everything up as you take it out of the garage. As you are taking the items out, sort them into categories: automotive, camping, kid’s toys, sporting equipment, gardening supplies, etc.
DO some decluttering before buying organizational containers or systems. For a guide on how to declutter, check out my blog post: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself When Decluttering. As you declutter, put the trash in a bin, donated items in a separate area, and items to sell in another area.
DON’T put decluttered items back into your garage! Make sure you have time at the end of your day to take the decluttered items away to a donation site or the dump.
DO dispose of items responsibly. You may need to get rid of some items that classify as hazardous waste, or things that you just aren’t sure where to donate. Your local government should have a resource guide or website with this information. In Northern Kentucky and Cincinnati, there are certain days of the year where you can bring your hazardous waste to a drop off location.
DO think vertical. It is best to keep as many items as possible off the floor of your garage. Look into garage organization solutions, such as utility hooks for rakes, shovels, and ladders, a peg board for tools, and storage shelves with bins to contain just about anything.
DON’T stack bins on top of one another. This will make them harder to access. Instead, invest in some storage shelving racks to place the bins on, which make it much easier to pull out the specific one you need.
DON’T forget to label! You’ve put in all this work to get your garage organized. Keep it maintained by adding labels to your bins or shelves to remind yourself and everyone else in your home where things go. You can use fancy labels from Etsy or simply painter’s tape and a sharpie. Be specific about what the bin contains, especially if it holds more than one type of item.
DO hire help if you need it. A professional organizer (ahem, me!) can make the process easier and help come up with easy to maintain and long-term systems to keep you organized! Click here to request a free consultation with The Life Less Cluttered.