Statistics reveal that 25 percent of homeowners admit they cannot park their car in their two garages because there are just too many stored items in there that their vehicle would no longer fit into. So, if you are among those people who have cluttered garages, do not fret because you are not alone. Besides, there are many ways on how you can declutter your garage and allow your car to regain it. So, are you ready to transform your garage and make it exactly the place for its original purpose? Check out the following tips.
Make assessments first.
In some cases, a garage can become so messy and cluttered that you find it hard to figure out where and how to start decluttering. This is when you need to make assessments first so you can better analyze your plan of action and then set priorities with the things that you are about to sort. You will never be able to organize your garage well if you do not first take the time to plan and assess how you want to organize your garage in terms of functionality and design. Take into consideration your top priority for decluttering your garage. If you want it to have more space for your second car, then consider removing the stored items there to a different place such as a shed. If you want it to function both as a garage and an area for storage, be prepared to spend money on storage shelves and organizers. Once you assess your garage space, you can now quickly determine what needs to be thrown, sold, or donated to other people.
Consider installing an overhead storage system.
Your unused ceiling space can be utilized in a storage area. To make this possible, you should consider installing an overhead storage system that allows you to free up more space on your garage floor. With an overhead storage system, you can just neatly pile up your small and big boxes, sports gears, seasonal items, and other things that you usually store in the garage. These overhead storage systems can also have a place beneath it for hooks so you can hang your bikes, baby strollers, and just about anything that can be hung. The professionals from EZ Garage Storage suggest that an overhead storage system should be used if you want your garage to be safe not just from the risk of floods, but also from kids and pets who could be hurt or in danger when they happen to touch or play with some equipment that you store in the garage. Besides, when everything is placed in the ceiling, your car will have more room for moving around and for parking.
Make use of your garage wall.
The wall is probably the most underutilized area in your garage. If you maximize the use of your garage wall, the chances are high that you will also be able to free much space on its floor. To make this possible, you can opt for slat walls that make it easier for you to hang some items on it. You just have to use some hooks so you can hang those yard tools. Just make sure your walls and hooks are durable enough. Before hanging any item on the slat wall, see to it that you are using hooks of appropriate size and weight capacity. In the absence of slat walls, you may also use pegboards. However, slat walls possess more durability and versatility compared to pegboards. But, if you can install an efficient and high-quality Slatwall, you will find that your garage interior will have a more finished look.
Store other items elsewhere.
One reason why the garage becomes cluttered is the fact that many homeowners use it for storing or dumping just about everything. Some people choose to store their cans of paints, gallons of gasoline, varnishes, oil, propane, carpentry tools, and gardening tools in the garage. So when you are decluttering your garage, start with sorting things out. If you think a specific item is flammable, toxic, or poses any danger, better think about storing it elsewhere. Create a shed away from your garage where you can store these items, secured with a durable door lock so that kids can’t have access to these items.
Be good at labeling what you store.
One reason why a garage easily tends to become cluttered is the lack of an efficient labeling system. In turn, every box or bin will most likely have a bit of everything. As a consequence, when you’re trying to look for a certain object or item, you would find yourself digging through everything and then end up too tired to put it back where it should belong. But, this can be avoided if you label your boxes or bins with particularly what’s inside it. This process encourages you to sort your items well, making it easier for you to find exactly what you need. Do not forget to opt for a uniformed labeling system with a color-coding system, if possible, so that everything will look nice and neat inside your garage.
Conduct an inventory.
Never purchase any storage item and avoid calling a professional storage installer without conducting an inventory of what you have in your garage. If you buy or install an organizer, shelf, rack, or anything for organizing your things, you may end up getting frustrated as you realize you could have been able to buy a better or bigger version of it. After conducting an inventory, map out your space and make a sketch as to how you want your garage to look like once you’re done organizing and decluttering it.
Now that you have these decluttering tips, you can put an end to your garage being a catch-all space for unnecessary stuff. Instead, you will now have a garage that’s completely functional and devoid of clutter. You just have to invest more time in decluttering and organizing it. But, then, once you do, you may find yourself never having to waste another minute looking for something because everything now is easily accessible and highly organized.
