Reclaim Your Garage: Top Tips For Getting Your Garage Organized

The garage is one of the worst areas for organizational issues in a home. It can end up being a catchall for storing unused furniture, tools, and equipment. It can become a real mess if it is not properly organized. U•STORE•IT has some tips to help get that garage in order and organize it like a pro.

1. You Need to Categorize

You may have heard of the three pile system when moving or organizing the interior of your home. You designate one pile to keep, one to sell, and one to donate. We recommend adding two more categories: one pile for items to repair and another for items to go into a storage unit if required. Put all the items in your garage into these five piles and then act on it.

2. Create Zones

Assign areas of the garage for certain items. Have a boat? Have a motorcycle? Have a snowmobile? Have sports equipment? Put all of the items with a similar use close together and create zones to make everything easier to find and bring a more strategic approach to where things live in your garage.

3. Add Shelving

Have no shelving on the walls? This can mean that all of your belongings are on the concrete floor. Installing wire shelving is easy and cost-effective and can create more storage space in space in your garage to work with. Even plastic and metal shelving can work as well if you want the option to move your shelving around to find the configuration that works for you.

4. Get Storage Bins/Totes

The garage is not one of the most sealed-off areas of your home. The cold of the winter months and rodents and/or bugs might get into your garage and wreak havoc on your stored items. Consider plastic bins or totes for any items that might be vulnerable to changes in temperature, humidity, or vermin such as extra clothing, linens, and winter items. Make sure these items are stored in bins with a lid to minimize the possibility of damage. You could even consider installing ceiling track storage for your bins to create more space!

5. Add Tool Racks

Purchase or build racks for your garden tools such as shovel, rake, broom, hose, etc. Ensure that you size for the tallest item to avoid any installation errors. You can even put up a pegboard to store smaller tools such as hammers, saws, screwdrivers, and wrenches. 

6. You Need Labels

The first step to keeping a space organized is to know where everything is and where it should be returned to after it’s used. A labelling system for bins, tools, and small items can go a long way in keeping you in line with your own organization system and allow other people in your household to quickly see where items belong.

If you’re cleaning out your garage for spring cleaning and find that you need a storage unit, U•STORE•IT has a variety of sizes available. We have self-storage facilities located in North Edmonton, West Edmonton, South Edmonton, St. Albert, and Red Deer.