HOW TO ORGANIZE A GARAGE

DECLUTTERING AND CLEANUP

Start by taking stock of what you have and creating piles to keep, throw away and donate. A good rule of thumb is to get rid of duplicate items or items you haven’t used in a year or more.

TRASH

Any expired items, such as paint, should be thrown away. Expired latex paint can be taken to a recycling center or disposed of on your own. Mix an equal amount of cat litter into the can and wait for the paint to thicken and set before throwing it away. Oil-based paint must be taken to an appropriate disposal or drop off center, as it is considered hazardous waste

DONATE

If you have unexpired paint, tools or equipment that you no longer plan on using, consider donating to a community center or any other groups that may be willing to take donations. This can help keep waste to a minimum.

CLEAN UP

Once you’ve decluttered your garage, clean off any existing storage cabinets, racks or any other items that will be staying. Start by dusting these items, then wipe down the surfaces with a damp cloth and appropriate cleaning solution. Check your product’s use and care guide to ensure that certain cleaning products are suitable to use. 

Then, sweep up and mop your garage floors. You may even want to take the time to reseal your garage floor, if needed.

GARAGE SETUP IDEAS

After your garage is cleaned out, start making a plan of how you want to organize. Break your garage into sections and map out what you plan on storing in each spot. This can help break your organizing into manageable chunks so you can tackle it over time or all at once. 

You may want to start with big items first. For example, will you use your garage to store your car? If that is the case, you’ll want to make sure that you have enough space for a car and other storage, if needed. Be sure to designate a home for each item to help make organization easier in the future. Try grouping similar items together. Take a look at the list below to get an idea of how to store popular zones of items.

KIDS ITEMS

You may want to establish a zone that has room to grow as your kids get older. Bikes can be hung on bike racks, while toys can be stored on shelves. Try storing loose items, like balls, in baskets like this 24” Wide Mesh Basket that can be easily hung on Gladiator® Wall Systems.

LAWN AND GARDEN

You can hang rakes, shovels and leaf blowers on the wall to save on floor space. This Lawn Care GearTrack® Pack from Gladiator brand has four heavy duty hooks to help organize your tall yard tools. You could also use a Gardening GearTrack® Pack from Gladiator brand to store smaller gardening tools, such as aprons, gloves or smaller, handheld tools.  

Try to keep in-season items easier to grab, while moving out-of-season tools further back. This can help keep the items you need accessible so you can spend less time searching and more time on your project. 

WORKSPACE

Power tools and other equipment can be placed in tool storage to keep these items securely in one place. Check out tool storage from Gladiator brand, like this 15-drawer Mobile Tool Chest Combo that can easily move throughout your space. You can also purchase a workbench to create a hub for your projects. Gladiator brand offers adjustable height, modular and mobile workbenches to help you plan for any project. 

RARELY USED ITEMS AND MORE

Use overhead storage, like these options from Gladiator brand, to help get bulky, oversized items out of the way. This can be especially helpful for rarely used items, like seasonal gear or decorations. 

If you have loose items with no clear grouping, try using shelves or cabinets to give these items a home. Gladiator brand offers a range of garage cabinets to fit your various storage needs, from full-sized to wall and even mobile storage cabinets.  

KEEPING YOUR GARAGE CLEAN AND ORGANIZED

Invest in habits and items that will help keep your garage clean. Ensure that liquids such as paint, engine oil and gasoline are stored securely to avoid spilling and if spills do occur, clean it up quickly to avoid stains. Be sure to have cleaning supplies on hand before messes occur. An all-purpose cleaner, cleaning rags, a broom and a mop can be a good starting point, and you can add more items to your supply as you need it. 

Once you have your garage organization system all set, be sure to set a recurring cleaning and organizing schedule. This can be done annually or more often, as needed. You can plan to go through your items so that you’re regularly donating and decluttering items you’re no longer using.  

Organizing a garage can help clear your space for different storage or activities. Looking for a complete garage makeover? Check out this article on garage setup ideas.