It’s time for some spring cleaning! If you own a garage, don’t forget to include it in your cleaning routine this season. To make the most of the space, check out these garage organization tips and ideas.
Garage Organization Ideas
Clean It Out
Start by cleaning out your garage to get a good look at everything you have. If you haven’t done this in a while, you’ll likely find a lot of items you don’t want/need anymore. Separate your items into three piles: keep, sell/donate, and throw away.
Make sure to properly dispose of any items you’re getting rid of (recycling, oil disposal, etc.). If you have a lot of things to sell, prepare them for a garage sale or online listing.
After taking everything out of your garage, give the floor a good sweep and wash. If you notice any cracks, you can reseal them with a crack sealer or caulk. Use disinfectant spray on any furniture, and apply glass cleaner to any windows.
Decide What You Want Your Garage to Be
Now that you’ve taken everything out of your garage, you can envision what you want it to look like and what you want to use it for. Do you want to turn your garage into a workspace for DIY projects? Is it going to be a room for you and your guests to hang out in? Do you want enough floor space to fit a vehicle? Or are you satisfied with it simply being a storage unit?
Figuring this out will help you further narrow down what items to keep and how to arrange them. It’ll also help you decide if you need anything new, like workbenches or stools.
Sorting Solutions
Sort your items into categories. This’ll help make things easier to find once it’s all back in your garage. These categories could include:
- Repair tools
- Garden tools
- Car detailing products (car wash fluid, wipes, towels, etc.)
- Sports equipment and toys
Items to avoid storing in your garage include paint, propane tanks, fresh food, and fridges.
Draft a floor plan for your new garage layout to visualize where everything should go.
Storage Systems
Things like pegboards, bins/containers, and wall hooks can help you assign a place for every item and prevent accidents caused by items scattered across the floor.
For example, pegboards on the walls can hold your garden and power tools where they’re visible but still out of the reach of children. Tool chests/boxes and shelves can also help you make the most of your space.
Check some of these other garage organization ideas:
- For large items that won’t fit on a pegboard, consider installing slat walls.
- For more vertical storage, install cabinets.
- Overhead storage racks can store items like bikes.
- A magnetic strip along the side of a workbench can help you easily access small tools.
- Retractable cord reels can eliminate runaway extension cords.
After installing any new storage devices, move your items back into the garage into designated zones based on the categories you defined earlier.
Keeping Your Garage Organized
Once you’re happy with your garage layout, follow these tips to keep the space clean and organized all year round:
- Label storage areas/zones so everyone remembers to put things back where they belong.
- Go through your items at least once a year and get rid of what you don’t need.
- Hose the floor down regularly.
- Keep a broom and dustpan or vacuum in the garage to clean up after DIY projects.
To browse through tools and equipment to add to your garage space, check out our selection on napacanada.com or visit a NAPA Auto Parts store.
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