Your garage: how to organize it and what belongs there

Making the decision to organize your garage is a great first step, but it can be a daunting task. Lots of houses in the Baltimore area have garages. Depending upon the size of your garage and the amount of clutter, this job could easily take a couple days.

If your garage is packed tightly with assorted odds and ends, you might want to pick one section and begin there, rather than emptying the entire garage at the beginning. As you remove items, start to sort “like things together” while purging as much as possible to make room. Let go of the broken, rusty and unused items. They can be trashed, donated or sold.

Consider what you want to keep in the garage. Do you want your car to fit inside? Are you storing furniture? Can the items withstand low temperatures in the winter and high ones in the summer? Do you need space for working? What about pests?

The job will go easier if you start with a plan. Many people jump right in without thinking about where things will ultimately be stored. Figure out what needs to fit in the space you have available. Will it all fit? If it doesn’t, you will need to do more purging. Everything must have its own place where it can be put away.

When you make your plan, always think about getting to your belongings when you need them. Will you have to move a lot of containers to get to the one you want? That leads to future clutter. Have a clear path to get to anything in the garage.

Organize your belongings in a logical way by putting like things together. Yard equipment stays with other yard equipment. Sports items are grouped together. Everything is easier to find that way.

Pegboard can be mounted with hooks on the walls so you can get more use of the vertical space. Shelving also can add vertical space. Use storage containers that are clear, if possible. That way you can see the contents in the box. Label everything, even clear containers. Sturdy containers that are pest resistant and have tightly fitting lids will work best.

If you want to store furniture, you need a way to keep moisture from wicking up from the floor. A plastic tarp on the floor works well. Put the tarp down before you move in the furniture. Cover the furniture with a sheet or plastic, it does not need to be airtight.

Rodents can be a problem and can squeeze through small spaces. Placing mothballs around the furniture repel most pests.

Lastly, if this sounds like too much for you to handle, contact Aim 4 Order. We deal with these challenges every day and can figure out the simplest plan and optimal way to make use of your garage.