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Helpful Hints For Garage Organizing

by Noreen Baker

A nice warm day is a perfect time to tackle the messy garage and it’s really fun and gratifying to watch the area transform into an organized, handy to use, clean storage space.

Things to Keep In Mind:

  • Decide what you want to store in the garage and plan accordingly. If it’s a car, then it must take priority in space organizing.
  • It probably took a whole winter or more to create the current situation, it may be more than a one-day job cleaning it up.
  • It has become the catch all for clutter that just does not fit in the house.  It has to fit somewhere or go away.
  • Most people do not look forward to clearing out or cleaning up the garage, so make it easier by asking for help.
  • If there is stuff belonging to other family members in there, ask for their assistance or find out what they want to keep or toss out.
  • It’s especially helpful to throw items straight into a truck that’s designated for a dump run.  Why pick it up twice before throwing it out.

Sorting It All Out:

  1. Creat “throw out” pile.
  2. Create “keep” pile.  Check to see if items are in good shape to keep.
  3. Take all the stuff out of the garage and place in appropriate pile.
  4. Clean the garage.
  5. If the item is a keeper, clean the item and place back in garage.

Organize:

  • Put frequently used items near the door along with large heavy items (unless they are considered long term storage).
  • Trash cans that go out to the curb for pick up should be in a very handy, close to door location.  Some industrial supply stores offer trash cans that can be hung on a wall out of the way.
  • Anything that could get damaged from a damp floor and is not too heavy, hang up on the wall.
  • It’s helpful to store small items such as nuts and bolts in a well-lit area making them easier to find and be put to use.
  • Put like items together, i.e. beach chairs, beach umbrella, portable cooler etc.
  • Create easy access to everything.

When you finish, take a good look at your fine work.  Celebrate and treat yourself for accomplishing a difficult task.

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Clutter Facts

by Noreen Baker

  • People have more household stuff these days and find it hard to keep it all organized: Do you ever feel like you just have too much stuff, don’t know where to put it all and don’t really have use for a lot of it?
  • It’s hard to believe that we use only 20% of what we own: Just think about this one, when you go around your house and look at things with the perspective that you wish to keep only things you need, use and love.  What can go?
  • The average person spends at least 20 minutes a day looking for things: How many times do you look for things each day.  It’s may be helpful to know that most people have this in common until they find a home for things and know where to find them.
  • Cleaning professionals say that getting rid of excess clutter would eliminate 40% of their work:  It’s easier to clean your home when there’s less stuff.  There’s also satisfaction in eliminating stuff so you can have lower house cleaning bills.

These Clutter Facts are useful when we realize the simple fact that when we are in a hurry and we have to push our way through 40 jackets and coats in order to get the one we want out, it just isn’t worth it to have that much stuff.  Free yourselves from the cloud of clutter.  It feels wonderful!

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Hello

by Noreen Baker

This is my very first post for the Tidy Tales.  As we go along, I hope that we can learn from each other about living simply with respect to our own lives, the lives around us and our planet earth.

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