Organize your garage into 6 useful zones
The garage, often the largest “room” in a house, but rarely the most organized. If you’re embarrassed to open your garage door in front of your neighbors, consider the following strategy to organize and divide your garage into 6 useful zones.
Let’s assume for a moment that you’ve completed the most difficult steps of organizing your garage. You have completely cleaned it. You have sold or thrown away everything except the items you really use and need. You are ready to put things back where they belong and you are determined to never let your garage fall into chaos and clutter again. How do you accomplish this seemingly impossible task?
As with any large space, the best way to organize (and stay organized) is to divide the area into smaller zones, with each zone serving a particular purpose.
1. First set the transition area in your garage. Your transition area (usually near the front door of the house) will be the space reserved for hanging coats and removing boots, with a place to put packages, groceries, or mail when you open the door. This area will help you move easily from inside to outside and vice versa.
2. Next, determine the I need it now area. This area (usually also located near the front door of the home) is ideal for home overflow storage and will provide quick and easy access to things you use frequently: dog food and leashes, extra refreshments, towels of paper, small tools and a place for recyclables.
3. Zone #3 is the area along the side walls of your garage. long, tall, thin items like rakes, brooms, shovels and other tools can be stored here. A slotted wall or pegboard system employing a variety of hooks, baskets and tool holders makes this often underutilized area useful again.
Four. Large Item Storage is your next zone. Use this area for bulkier items and those items that can be kept out of the way for months at a time, like snow tires and camping gear.
5. Frequently used items It will be placed near the garage door. Items like sports equipment and bicycles go here. Lawn and garden supplies such as bird seed, insect repellant and lawn fertilizer can also be stored in this convenient and easily accessible area.
6. The end zone is you passion center. Make this the heart of your hobby area, reserved for working on what you love most. Whether you garden or fish, woodwork, or work on your car, you can set up a perfect spot in your garage that gives you the space to organize your tools and equipment. While most of your garage is dedicated to storage, this area is dedicated to you.
Now that you’ve cleaned, organized, and subdivided your garage space into 6 logical and useful zones, take a bow. Open the garage door and bask in the glow of admiration (and envy) from your neighbors. You deserve it!
Now, about those cabinets…
