Your garage can be a functional storage space where you keep everything from hobby supplies to your workbench. Unfortunately, many homeowners don’t use the garage efficiently. When the garage is cluttered, it is hard to use the space properly. Here are a few tips to help organize your garage.
Declutter Before You Organize Your Garage
Before you can organize your garage, clear it out. A cleaned room is much easier to manage than one full of random and assorted items. Sort everything into three different categories using boxes: keep, donate, or throw away. Throw away broken, expired, and unused items, or donate them to charity.
Items Not Suitable for the Garage
Garages are typically not heated or cooled, so they are not ideal for storing certain things. The following items don’t belong in the garage:
- Paint– extreme heat or cold can make it unusable
- Paper goods– they are often attractive to mice and other pests
- Propane– a spark could lead to a fire, and your garage is directly attached to your house
- Refrigerator– unless you live in a cold climate, keeping it cool in the summer is a significant energy cost
- Pet food– raccoons and other wildlife can smell it and may attempt to get into the garage
Don’t Leave Things on the Floor When You Organize Your Garage
While some things need to stay on the floor, avoid placing items directly on the floor when organizing your garage. Shelving, cabinets, and vertical storage keep things off the ground to make it easy to walk around and navigate. If you choose to add shelving units, make sure they are off the ground so that you can regularly sweep underneath them.
Choose Locks Carefully
Because you are putting lots of time and effort into organizing your garage, take care to protect it. In addition to a standard lock on the door, add a lock that bolts the garage door to the garage’s walls. Make sure the door between your house and garage has a deadbolt.
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