Seasons change. One moment you need to put away the lawn mower, the next you need to take out the bikes and camping gear. And when everything is chaotically shoved in your garage, it becomes almost impossible to find what you are looking for. We put together some tips to organize your garage so you can find what you need when you need it, and possibly even fit more items in it. 1. Measure your space. If you use your garage for your car as well as storage, make sure to first figure out how much space your car needs in order to fit. Once that is done, you'll have a good idea of how much space you have to work with. 2. Prioritize your items. The most important and frequently used items should be in the front and easily accessible, while those with only seasonal purposes should be placed in harder to reach areas, such as behind other items or at a higher level. 3. Clear everything out. It’s easier and faster to start with a blank canvas, and will give you an opportunity to clean the floor and walls. If you want to make the garage a bit prettier, you can use this opportunity to paint the walls, or stain the floor. This is also a perfect opportunity to rid yourself of any old, broken or unused items. If you don’t want to throw anything out, make a donation to your local charity or church. If there are items that you don't want to throw away, but don't need to keep, consider keeping them in a self storage unit. 4. Take inventory. Now that everything is out of the garage and you have only the items you want to keep, take inventory of everything that is left, and create zones in your garage - such as an area for Christmas decorations, an area for gardening supplies, and another area for sporting goods. Try to keep the zones separate, so you have an easier time keeping things organized and locating what you need in a flash. 5. Make use of the walls. While we typically like to keep everything on the floor or in boxes, certain items go well on the wall. You can hang gear - like brooms and bikes - or build shelves to keep gardening tools and helmets. This will free up more space for the larger items.
