The Clutter Buster's Guide to Garage Organization
by Wendy Croix
Home Improvement Ideas Columnist
The Garage "was a landfill," Angela Aloi of Westbury, N.Y. confesses to the Times. And Aloi is no different than the rest of us who mistake our garages for storage units and fill them with seasonal items, sports equipment, tools, and items we can't bear to consign to the trash. Having spent fruitless hours helping friends search their garage for four large bright red chair cushions, I know the difference between attempted organization and genuine clutter-busting garage storage solutions.
Garage Storage Solution Wannabes
Did you get new kitchen cabinets and move the old ones to the garage to keep your clutter behind closed doors? Or did you move and just never unpack those brown boxes stacked along the walls. Maybe you bought those dust-proof plastic storage bins. They stack well, so you can fill an entire garage with "stuff," which is fine till you move something and don't re-label.
Clutter Fighting Garage Organizers
Whether you opt for a garage organization professional from the National Association of Professional Organizers, or you include renovation and interior finishing and call your contractor, or you trek over to Lowe's or Best Buy and check out the garage organizers, there's a logical order to organizing your garage:
- EMPTY THE GARAGE: If you intend any renovation, now's your chance to add walls, additional electrical outlets, insulation, or flooring.
- PURGE AND SORT: If you haven't used it in two years, sell it or get rid of it. Sort the remaining items by function: tools, toys, clothing, etc.
- INSTALL A FLEXIBLE ORGANIZATIONAL SYSTEM: Pegboard with hooks and bungee cords, or plastic-laminate-covered slot walls with shelves and baskets. Store tools in plain sight, and use garage cabinets for small items.
- USE OVERHEAD SPACE: Ceiling-hung storage lofts are useful for large or rarely used items.
- USE COLOR FOR ORGANIZATION: Give each family member a code color for easy retrieval of personal items.
Americans spent $800 million organizing their garages in 2005, so if you're going to spend the money, do it right. That way, you'll be able to find those bright red cushions any time you want.
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About the Author
Wendy Croix, Ph.D. is a freelance writer, cultural critic and self-confessed home improvement junkie. She's also a university professor.
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