Conquer the Clutter

You can still squeeze your car into its spot, though day by day it becomes less likely, and getting out of the driver’s seat is already nearly unmanageable. You spend time failingly searching for tools you know you have, only to give up and buy replacements that, too, fall into nooks of no return. You’ve put it off all winter so much so that Florida’s non-existent snow has melted and spring is swimming in to take its place. It is time: garage organization cannot be procrastinated any further. But it doesn’t have to be a mundane process or feel like a completely wasted Saturday morning (to evening, depending on just how much disarray there is). Finding homes for your supplies, materials and tools will surely improve the outlook of space in your garage and home alike, and will not soon be regretted.
The benefits of assigning places to your tools and gadgets certainly outweigh the time it may take to do so. With labeled boxes, you’ll not only know exactly where things are, but you’ll also be able to easily direct someone who may not be as familiar with your garage to them. Putting related items in their corresponding boxes improves the maneuverability and look of your garage while reducing clutter-induced stress. You can arrange items based on the room in your home they are most likely to be used in or have come out of to make more space. For example, extra printing paper, pencils and other office supplies can fit into a box labeled, “Office” where they can wait for you to replenish your stock, whereas bathroom cleaners, furniture polish and scrub brushes can stay in another box marked “Household Cleaning Supplies,” making more room under your sinks.
Organizing, specifically with the aid of plastic containers, can reduce messes made when things are kept in their original packaging, especially if that means paper bags and weak boxes. Canned food bought in bulk often comes in thin cardboard, but taking the cans out and putting them in another container will make them easier to handle and organize. You can put that box in a readily accessible shelving area designated for hurricane supplies, along with bottled water, flashlights and other emergency store. For storing pet food, particularly for big dogs, plastic containers with wheels are useful; they not only reduce spills, but also make getting and moving the food easier.
Giving tools a particular place in the garage can prove invaluable, showing that organization can potentially save money by reducing expenses on replacements. You can find places for smaller tools and hardware, from hammers and screwdrivers to nuts and bolts, in labeled plastic containers, perhaps with pull out drawers, or in a tool box. Extension cords can be hung up on a hose holder. Hanging is also the best way to store long-handled tools like brooms and shovels, no matter how many you have—they’re out of the way, in designated spaces and don’t fall over, knocking you in the head when you least expect it. Not only is this method practical, but it’s attractive; it sends the message that you took the extra step to ensure organization, safety and appeal.
Your garage is the prime place for your home’s storage, from emergency supplies and office materials to tools and the odd extras you may have. Maybe many people don’t see your garage, but you’re not turning it into an organized wonder for them; you’re doing it to improve the usability of your space and the quality of your daily living. Cleaning out your garage will reduce stress, lost items and wasted time and space. For these reasons, the effort is more than worth it.