Garages were originally meant to store our cars, but limited space in our homes has created the need for using them to store tools, paint, gardening supplies, outdoor sporting equipment and more. We have a tendency to fill up our garages with household items as well, simply because we don't know where else to put them. If something doesn’t fit in the closet or in a drawer, it gets tossed out into the garage. Does that sound familiar? As time passes, more and more items make their way from the house to the garage until the garage reaches its limit. At that point, most people throw up their hands in surrender, deciding that a cluttered garage is their only option.
Of course, the irony here is that the garage can be the best storage spot, but only if it is organized to make the best use of the space and still provide room for that car. Organization will take a little effort on your part, but in the end, you will see that it is well worth it.
But how do you begin? Let me introduce you to SOS .
Sort
Organize
Store
With these three steps, you can easily change any overstocked garage into an efficient storage space.
Step One: Sort
When you finally decide to open that garage door, review what's inside. Begin to sort through your stuff, dividing your driveway into three distinct sections. One section for things you want to keep, one section for things you no longer need that can either be donated or sold and the third for things in poor condition that need to be recycled or trashed.
Schedule a time for you to work on your garage. Maybe sort by categories a couple of hours at a time, but don't procrastinate. Also, if more than one person has things stored in the garage, don’t forget to let the other owner(s) claim their stuff. Things that mean nothing to you may have great significance to someone else in your household.
Once everything is sorted, start the organizing process below unless you have run out of time. If time is short, gather any items for recycling or trash and find the appropriate place for disposing of them. Usually this takes place after you have organized your garage. Check for hazardous waste locations, recycling bins or designated dump sites. Collect the items for donation and drive them to the local women’s shelter or homeless shelter.
Step Two: Organizing
Everything may be separated, but now you have items that you need to put in order.
Check out the items you want to keep and decide where they can be used most efficiently. If you use certain types of items a lot, store them where they are easily accessible.
Make sure you organize like items together: tools with tools, toys with toys, clothes with clothes, etc.
Re-evaluate your space. This will help you determine where you want to store your items. If you store items in containers, make sure you mark the outside of the container with its contents. This organization process is important to maintaining your garage.
Step Three: Store
This is the step where you put everything in order so you can find what you need when you need it.
If you have to buy containers, buy only what you need and make sure they are uniform in size. It is much easier to stack containers of the same size and it will save space. Also, consider medium size boxes for storage. It makes it easier to move when you need to.
Not everything requires a container. Bikes, hardware and sporting goods can be stored on their own. There are many types of storage options that can help you store your things, but utilize the space you already have before you make the investment.
SOS will help you be organized before you organize.
It's as simple as that!