Garages…dirt collectors, dumping grounds, heck, junkyards. Am I right?

With Summer just around the corner, I partnered with Monkey Bar Storage to share a step-by-step guide to your most organized garage yet. Imagine a clean and clear, streamlined storage space that has this season’s items accessible, next season’s items stored away and space for your vehicle. This is the stuff of dreams, people.

I’ll hand the baton over to Olivia from Monkey Bar Storage to enlighten you on just how this can be accomplished.

Growing up, my garage was always a mess. It had a few shelves (which were bowing from extreme weight) and reused bookshelves. Other than that, everything was scattered around. I always dreaded looking for things in there, because I knew it would take at least 15 minutes. And there are much better things that I can do with 15 whole minutes.

I have always been interested in organizing and trying to make spaces look tidy, but when my parents asked me to help organize their garage, it felt overwhelming. It’s a large space, didn’t have much of a storage system, and was filled with items that could be hard to part with. If you’re part of the 79% of homeowners in America that desire more garage storage space, you will love the following guide to creating more useable space with what you have.

First, I want to address getting rid of clutter. In the words of Marie Kondo, ask yourself, “Does it spark joy?” Clearing the clutter in your garage may take a weekend or two depending on how much stuff you have, so enlist the help of family members, friends or a professional organizer, if necessary. To start the process, create three piles: keep, donate/sell, and trash. Some things to get rid of are:

●      Duplicates

●      Outgrown children’s toys and sporting equipment 

●      Old paint and expired chemicals

●      Anything Broken:  Electronics, tools

●      Unneeded Furniture

Once everything is cleared out, it’s time to start the organization process. The most efficient way to organize your garage is to create zones. A zone is a space where similar items are grouped together. Create a zone for sporting equipment, seasonal gear, lawn tools, kids toys, etc.

Next, you’ll want to make sure everything is stored off the floor to avoid tripping hazards and create much needed floor space for parking. To help you with these organization tips, check out these systems:

Shelving with Brackets

When investigating shelving options, double-check the weight capacity so that shelving doesn’t start to bow like mine did. The Monkey Bars Shelving System hold 1,000 lbs per four feet and have brackets underneath that make it easy to layer your most used items. The layered system has movable bars and hooks that are perfect for holding your most used items, such as bikes, shovels, rakes, baseball bats, tennis rackets, and really almost anything else.

Ball Bag

A ball bag will help everyone in the family know exactly where to return any balls after use and it keeps them organized in one spot. The bag can hang from the wall or from a bracket system.

Overhead Racks

These racks make use of the space above your head, which is key when designing any system (and often forgotten). They are perfect for getting your items up and off the floor. Store your long-term or awkwardly shaped items on them for maximum garage storage capacity, like snowboards, kayaks, decorations, coolers, and large bins. These racks can be installed above the garage door or anywhere else on the ceiling. Make sure to also check the weight capacity before buying. Most of these racks have a weight capacity of 500-1000 lbs.

5-Gallon Bucket

An ordinary bucket is a great solution for holding smaller balls or other odds and ends, such as painting supplies, work tools, and small gardening tools.

Cubby

Cabinets easily conceal items behind closed doors. Think power tools, fertilizers or other dangerous and/or hazardous items you’d rather keep away from curious fingers. Cabinets without doors, also known as cubbies, work as a catchall for everyday items like backpacks and coats.

Slatwall and Pegboard

These two types of systems are perfect for storing yard and work tools like shears, trowels, garden forks, large shovels and rakes. They can each be placed on any open wall and make it easy to grab the item and go. It also means it has a specific spot to be stored when you’re done with it.

With the clutter gone and new storage systems in place, your garage will transform into a space the whole family enjoys going in and utilizing.

If you have any tips for garage organization, we’d love to hear it below! And if you are ready to get started, but just don’t have the time to do it on your own, schedule a consultation here. I’d love to help you whip that space right into shape!

This post was written by Olivia Waddell at Organized Creations, a garage storage and organization company. In her spare time Olivia enjoys running, learning new organization tricks and watching The Bachelor.

The Baer Minimalist helps busy families create ORGANIZED + STYLIZED spaces and events throughout Indianapolis. 

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