If “clean the garage” has a permanent spot on your to-do list, Spring is the ideal time to get yours in order. A perfectly organized garage isn’t difficult to master — it just takes time, tools, and organization systems. At Strickland’s Custom Garages, our designers are full of great ideas for getting garages organized and keeping them that way. Here are nine of our favorite tips:
1. Check your inventory. So, what’s in those cardboard boxes in the corner or those storage bins on the highest shelf, anyway? The first (and sometimes hardest) tip for getting your garage organized is checking your inventory and simplifying your life. If there are project pieces you don’t have time for or toys your kids grew out of years ago, have a sale or take a trip to your local secondhand store. If you haven’t used it in a year, consider tossing it. For our professional designers, checking your inventory is always part of our process.
2. Create a drop-off zone. For the things you use on an everyday basis, it helps to have a drop-off zone. A cubby-style bench or open cabinetry is ideal for this, as it provides a natural place for you to slip shoes on and off and hang up coats, bags, and keys.
3. Go vertical. One of the most common issues for garage organizers is a lack of floorspace for large items like cars and lawn mowers. And bikes on kickstands quickly turn to dominoes in a messy garage. To avoid this problem, go vertical with wall-mounted Steadyrack bike racks with swivel features. Steadyrack bike racks keep bikes out of the way yet easy to access.
4. Use your walls. A barren wall in a garage may look clean, but it’s wasted space from a designer’s perspective. Take advantage of your walls with slatwall and wall accessories like hooks, knobs, magnetic bars, and mounted cabinetry.
5. Organize intuitively. One of the most frustrating experiences in a messy garage is the inability to find what you know you have. Organizing intuitively – by putting things where they naturally belong – will help you avoid this headache. In a clean garage, there’s a space for everything – the drop-off zone is by the door, bikes are near the garage doors, and tools are mounted on slatwall above the workspace.
6. Shelf seasonal items. While it helps to have everyday items readily accessible, the same can’t be said for Easter wreaths and Christmas lights. For an organized garage, shelf seasonal items out of the way, as you’ll only need them once a year.
7. Hide away cleaners, chemicals, and sharp tools. A garage whose floor is covered in spilled chemicals isn’t just dirty – it’s potentially toxic. To make sure your garage floors stay clean and your kids stay safe, hide away cleaners and chemicals in mounted, closed cabinetry safely out of their reach. The same is true for sharp tools. Rather than hanging your gardening tools out in the open, consider dedicating a cabinet to them.
8. Put the trash away. Trash cans and recycling bins quickly take up lots of garage space. To avoid this issue, consider a reach-in trash and recycling center. This simplifies trash organization, and it also contains any unpleasant odors.
9. Make time for spring cleaning all year long. Spring cleaning doesn’t have to come just once a year. To guarantee your garage stays organized, schedule regular clean-ups.
The Perfectly Organized Garage
Ultimately, perfectly organized garages have one thing in common: they’re customized. They’re designed with their owner in mind, and everything is in its right space. To get your garage organized, contact us at Strickland’s Custom Garages. We’ll help you design your dream garage, and we’ll arm you with all the organizing tools you need to keep it that way.