4 cheap, easy ways to get your garage back
The arrival of spring means it’s time to start thinking about doing some spring cleaning around the house. One of the areas that always seems to need some organizing is the garage. Some people can barely pull their vehicles into the garage because of all the stuff they have laying around. Others can’t even use the garage for its intended purpose at all anymore because they’ve turned it into a dedicated storage unit. That second scenario is not good for your vehicles, because you can’t protect them from frigid temperatures if you live in a cold climate or shield them from the searing sun if you live in a hot climate.
So if you’ve envisioned a day when you can simply hit the door opener and pull into your garage without fear of crushing a toy, tool or family heirloom (or if you’d just like to be able to open your garage door without being buried by an avalanche of stuff) these tips are for you.
Lighten Your Load
First, separate everything in the garage into two piles: the stuff that will be organized and the stuff that will become available at a garage sale or intimately acquainted with a Dumpster. Don’t be shy about adding stuff to that second pile, because if you don’t get rid of a few things (or a lot of things) the rest of these tips might not help you at all.
Stack It Up
Next, consider adding shelves, either the free-standing metal units or wall-mounted standards and brackets. Either will give you a fair amount of flexible storage options; the free-standing units can be relocated easily, while bracketed shelves can be quickly adjusted up or down to accommodate items of different heights.
Wall-y World
Pegboard or slatted wall panels also are great ways to organize anything from screwdrivers to bicycles. Their versatility is what makes them such an attractive option. Plus, they can be painted and cut into shapes, you can purchase larger hooks and hang plastic bins on them, and what have you. Basically, you have a blank canvas to work with, so get creative with it!
The Power of Repurposing
Finally, are you or someone you know going to be remodeling the kitchen anytime soon? Think about repurposing the old cabinets in your garage. That’ll keep them out of the landfill and give your garage more of a homey vibe (unless of course the cabinets are trashed or hopelessly outdated).
There’s no need to be intimidated by reorganizing a room, especially the garage, which often is in need of the most cleaning. There’s also no need to agonize over the cost or the work. None of these ideas will break the bank, and in fact you could actually make money by selling some of your clutter. So stop putting it off. Roll up your sleeves, get started and soon you’ll be back to parking your cars where they belong!
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