GARAGE CLUTTER

Intentional or not, the garage often becomes the dumping ground for everything and anything that has no other place to go.

There are so many home and garden essentials — tools, lawn equipment, outdoor toys, and so on —that need to find a home and your garage is the most practical place. A most important reason to clean out your garage is safety. More than 75 percent of reported garage-related injuries result from either falling or stepping on an object left on the garage floor, two hazards that could be avoided with adequate lighting and proper organization. About 60% of garage users report that their garage is unorganized, and one out of three garages does not have sufficient lighting. Most families utilize the garage for storage, and many frequently keep potentially dangerous items in their garage that must be handled with care. Start out by emptying the space. Put it all on your driveway and sort into three piles – trash, donate, and keep. Once you got those sorted, go through the “keep” pile and sort into categories -- tools, outdoor stuff, sports items, recreational, etc. For example, you wouldn’t put a screwdriver together with your gardening items. Hand tools like screwdrivers, hammers, etc. would go together in one area of the garage, while all your gardening tools would go in another area and so on. There are a few items that never should be kept in your garage: paint, paper products, bedding, books, pet food, and propane tanks. Paper goods, bedding, and pet food will attract critters, so these should be stored in your home. The less for the critters to get into the better! Empty propane tanks and paint should be stored in a cool, well-ventilated space, and full propane tanks should be placed outside at least 10 feet away from anything flammable. There are many storage solutions for garages out there. Cabinets are a good one because you can store and conceal items that are unsightly, vulnerable to the elements, or may be dangerous to children. New cabinets for the garage make for a nice and clean environment but if that does not fit your budget, don’t hesitate to find used ones that will do the job. Lots of people remodel their kitchens and are more than happy to have someone take the old cabinets off their hands. As always, make sure poisonous products such as pesticides, lighter fluid, paint thinner, antifreeze, and turpentine have child-resistant caps, are clearly labeled and stored in a locked cabinet out of sight and reach of children. Shelving is always good because you can store labeled tubs on them. For items that are not used on a regular basis, such as holiday decorations, you will always be able to find what you need when the need arises. Of course, you should always anchor your cabinets and shelves to garage walls for stability.

Plastic storage bins are perfect to separate and organize your equipment by sport or season. Unfortunately, they usually get stacked against a wall somewhere, which makes getting to the bottom bins difficult, especially for your household’s littlest teammates. Consider building or buying a cubby system in which the tubs will fit. Different color bins are a good way to make finding what you need a breeze. If you’re wanting to organize your small tools in more than a drawer, try a peg board system. These are so versatile for hanging whatever you might need to grab at a moment’s notice as you can see if all at once. If you actually end up with free wall space when finished, peg boards are great for bicycles, big tools, hoses, etc. The garage ceiling is a great spot for hanging long, flat stuff you don’t use every day, such as ladders and seasonal sports gear. Make sure that any shelves you hang from the ceiling don’t interfere with your garage door’s operation and that there is enough clearance to avoid scraping the roof of your car. A workbench is a must have for an organized garage. You can buy them ready-made or take an old table, put it against the wall, and add shelves and pegboard to hold your gears. A set of casters turns any table into a mobile workstation; make sure they don’t create an uncomfortably tall table. Finish it off with a padded stool. Committing a weekend to organizing your garage can be rewarding and cleansing (pun intended)! Think about how great it is going to feel to walk into your garage and know exactly where the item(s) you are looking for are right where you put them!