As fall nears, the temperatures will soon drop enough for me to take on organizing my cluttered garage. What do you suggest to help make it a more efficient space?
"The Department of Transportation says that less than 50 percent of Americans park the number of vehicles in their garage that it was built to house," says Becca Clark, a professional organizer and owner of Your Best Move and Creative Convenience. "The last thing you see when you leave and the first view of your home when you return is the garage, and that [affects] how you feel all day."
Clark offers the following tips for homeowners with garages:
• Initial review -- "First step is to do a quick review to spot any large items that you know are going away," Clark says. "Just make a list -- no hands-on work yet -- to get a general idea about what will be going away and where it needs to go," she says, adding that options should include recycling, selling, giving away or donating to a charity. "From this you can formulate your plan and schedule."
• De-clutter -- During this step, pull all the items out of the garage and review their usefulness, editing ruthlessly. "Work in small areas and don't expect to complete it in one day," Clark says. "My team and I usually cannot accomplish that, so set your expectations accordingly."
She says once the contents of the garage are reduced, there will space to organize what remains.
"The key is to put as much unnecessary junk back into the universe," she says.
• Organize by purpose -- After determining what remains, set up a system of zones.
"Store all the tools/equipment for a particular activity together in one area ... sports, toys, gardening, wood-working, car maintenance, holiday, etc.," Clark says. "Keep in mind that your goal is quick and easy access to the items you use most in any particular season," she says.
Items should be stored where they are easy to find and simple to put away. "This takes some thought and planning before you begin, and an honest appraisal of how often you really use things."
• Store vertically -- Use all the available space with high shelves for less-frequently used items such as holiday decor and off-season sporting goods. "Get as close to the ceiling as possible to maximize the space and get stuff off the floor," Clark says. "A cleared floor is safer, cleaner, less buggy and just looks more appealing." If the garage's height and budget permit, she suggests also hanging items from the ceiling.
• Put the walls to work -- Use a system of wall-mounted hooks and clamps for as many of the larger tools and sports items as possible, she suggests. Several companies offer these at varying prices or if the homeowner is handy, he or she can build their own.
• Use open and closed storage -- Closed cabinets are great for messy-looking items and security, Clark says. She reminds homeowners to keep sharp tools, toxic chemicals and paints away from children and pets and suggests using a large hanging or freestanding basket or tub to corral balls.
• Choose storage according to need -- Open shelves can be inexpensive if you shop the big box stores, Clark says. "I often use a heavy-duty five-shelf plastic unit for lower-cost projects," adding that they can hold a lot and eliminate worries about water or other environmental damage. "Get the tallest one available and leave some empty space for growth," she says.
"Shallow drawers (the best container is a large tool chest) are great if you have a lot of hand tools," she says, explaining that the interior storage keeps items clean, safe and organized by function for quicker access. She also suggests that the serious do-it-yourselfers use a pegboard with hooks and bins to store frequently used small tools.
• Aim for easy access -- Keep in mind the age and size of family members when planning storage that is easy to reach. "Enlist the whole family in the project to reduce the workload for you and to gain their input and buy-in for the new system," Clark concludes. "This will greatly increase the chance that garage stuff might be put away after use."
Do you have a decorating or remodeling question? Send your question to Linda S. Haymes, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, Ark. 72203 or email:
lhaymes@arkansasonline.com
HomeStyle on 08/13/2016