From Grunge to Garagemahal

The American Dream used to be a car in every garage. Nowadays, most homeowners just dream about being able to fit their car in the garage. No matter the size of garage, the amount of junk, tools and extras always outweighs the available space. But with a weekend of elbow grease and a little planning – and yes, some elimination – even the most cluttered garage can once again be a safe haven for the family truckster.

You’re gonna get dirty

Even the most fastidious homeowner can neglect the garage. It’s just a catchall and doesn’t rank up there with the foyer or the modern kitchen. Blowing debris, mud tracked in from the kids, and dog hair from the family pet all add up to one heck of a messy place when it comes time to clean.

Pick a nice sunny weekend and empty the garage. Don’t just pull the lawnmower out. Gut it. Pull the lawn chairs down off the wall. Take the recycling bins to the back yard. This is the time to employ the “10 second rule.” As you grab an item, give yourself 10 seconds to have a valid reason for keeping it. If there’s no good reason then it goes in the trash pile or the sell pile. If it’s not there for a reason, it doesn’t stay. More than likely you’ll be saying goodbye to the newspapers you have kept for the last few years as kindling for the backyard burn pit you never built. And the toddler swing and kiddie bike should go on the sell pile considering your youngest just went on his first date.

Make it empty and survey your space.

Once the garage is empty, swept and de-webbed on the walls, you can make a map of where your treasures will actually live. Now is the time to consider putting in a work bench and corner off a work space. Check the walls for the most logical place to hang yard implements and bins for athletic and outdoor equipment. If you have a furnace and water heater in the garage, make a safe zone around the appliances. Do this especially if your home is newer so you do not void the home warranty.

Use a tape measure and notebook paper and lay out a schematic of the garage floor plan. When placing the car in the picture, make sure to leave room for properly opening the doors without scraping the wall, lawnmower or second car. Make the bicycle corral easily accessible for the kids so mom and dad don’t have to constantly be moving a car every time junior wants to ride around the block.

Time to invest

Hammering up a couple nails to hold the rake and shovel is old school and frowned upon in the reorganization world. Plan on investing a bit of money to get the most bang for your cleanup buck. Adjustable snap-lock hanger systems, plastic or metal shelving units, and a component-based work bench and storage cabinet system allow the garage owner to configure the space to their desired needs. Reorganization kits and supplies take into account that the center of the garage is for a car. But the walls can, and should be, utilized from the ground to the ceiling.

If you install it, they will come

Have a plan and stick to the plan when it comes time to re-fill the garage. Mount your fittings and hang the tools. Install the work bench and go ahead and fill the drawers and organize your tools. Having the component and letting it be a catch-all for organizing at a later date puts you right back at square one. Shelving units do no good still in the box propped up in the corner. Build them and fill them.

An organized garage is a helpful tool for any homeowner. And an organized homeowner is a happy one. Clutter gone.

Is your garage in need of some remodeling and renovation?  Contact us today for a free estimate!