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Get Organized Day: Make Your Garage More Functional
A new home is a blank slate. That said, our REALTORS® know how hard it can be to get organized when moving into a new home. Most garages end up being junk purgatories where items that don't yet have storage space end up. Unfortunately, this leads to garages getting cluttered almost to the point where you can't use them for their intended purpose—to park your car.
Every April 26 is dedicated to proper planning, cleaning up, and decluttering. It's a great time to get some spring cleaning done on Get Organized Day. Here are some tips to help you clear the clutter after you've found a house among Mansfield or Ashland homes for sale.
- Get Everything Off the Floor
And draft a floor plan of your garage. Garage organization is all about the floor space. You want to utilize all existing cabinetry and storage space to keep everything from cluttering your floors. This way, you'll free up more room for your car and make it that much harder to accumulate junk.
The best approach is to only keep items that are worth keeping. You can recycle or donate the items that have overstayed their welcome. Some rules of thumb you can use to assign items to a home include:
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- Store items you use together close to one another. For instance, it's a good idea to keep all your landscaping and gardening tools in one spot.
- Place frequently used items, like bikes or scooters, on or near the garage door.
- Top shelves and other hard-to-reach areas should be used to store your seasonal or rarely used items.
- Store bulky items in corners for easy access
- Maximize Vertical Storage Space
Now that you've gotten everything off the floor, it's time to maximize your vertical space. Vertical storage keeps frequently used items within reach, ensuring you can access and put back items with ease. Consider installing vertical organizing systems like pegboard, wall hooks, and Slatwall panels. Pegboards and Slatwall panels, for instance, are widely available and easy to install. They're perfect for hanging things like:
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- Power cords
- Ladders
- Bikes and other sports equipment
- Yard tools
- Build a Workbench
A nicely-sized garage bench provides a safe space in which you can conduct mechanical, electrical, and DIY home improvement projects. It also provides extra space to store all your tools and equipment. And you can tuck the bench out of the way when it's not in use. - Install Overhead Storage
If you're not utilizing ceiling space, you're missing out on valuable storage. You'll find ample space to store bulky or rarely used items in your garage's upper reaches. Consider installing open shelving and some heavy-duty overhead racks to create extra storage space.
Use this space to store seasonal items like holiday decorations and camping gear. - Add Storage Cabinets
The garage is used as a catch-all for items you don't know what to do with. For this reason, you'll likely run out of storage space at some point. Installing some cabinets is a great way to keep items out of sight and create designated storage space for every person in your household.
Pro tip: You can start with one or two cabinets and scale as needed. This way, you can keep things organized without having to hide them away.
Get Your Garage Organized this Spring
Spring cleaning is a great way to get your house organized and decluttered. But, organizing isn't a one-size-fits-all project, so find a system that works for you and implement it.
If you're looking to buy or sell a home, contact us for guidance and information on real estate opportunities.