How to Organize Your Garage
By its very nature, a garage is a no man's (or woman's) land.
They aren't exactly part of the house, but they're not outdoors, either. As a result, this transitional area can become junky in a heartbeat.
Even when someone does take responsibility for the garage, it is often out of sight, out of mind.
We see it only as we cruise through on the way from the car, usually shedding backpacks, shoes and umbrellas in our wake.
Oh, no problem, we think, we'll pick them up later. But we rarely make time to do that. We don't really put things away in this no-person's land.
And kids are the worst offenders. They toss the soccer balls in the general direction of the corner. Oops! They park bikes on top of the clothes we're planning to give to charity.
Yet because it's often also the entry to our home, we'd like to keep it somewhat clean and organized. Otherwise, we're continually tracking dirt into the house.
The biggest problem here is all sorts of disparate activities go on here. It's a home entryway, a storage zone for everything from kids' large toys to sporting equipment to gardening tools, for working out, for workshops, for recycling, and the list goes on.
How much can one room do? Oh yeah, and we'd also like to park the car here too - if there's any room left over.
The good new is that this multipurpose room can meet most of our needs - if it's organized correctly. Here's how to get this busy room organized so that it can function as you'd like it to.
Divide into areas of use.
To make the most of every precious foot of space here, divide it into areas of use, just like rooms. Consider these options:
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Wow! It's a wonder we can walk through here, let alone park a car inside. Of course, not everyone will have all of these areas. Add zones as needed.
By containing the various items here together in the same spot, you'll find clutter can be kept to a minimum, the kids will know where to put things away each day, and you'll know where to find whatever you need in a moment's notice.
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About the Author
Tara Aronson is a native Californian. Having grown up in San Diego, she studied journalism and Spanish to pursue a career in newspaper writing. Tara, whose three children - Chris, Lyndsay, and Payne - are the light of her life, now lives and writes in Los Angeles. She also regularly appears on television news programs throughout the U.S.
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