garage organization

What a Difference a Few Hours Can Make…

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We recently helped a client clean out their two car garage. This person really needed this space to function as a garage (of course), storage room, exercise room and art studio. In just three hours we were able to help get the space fully organized and functional for all their needs!

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These pre-existing shelves now contain all the home maintenance supplies, home decor, and memorabilia in clear, labeled bins!

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Before, this art area was unusable…

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Now, it’s a great creative space!

We cut up an old foam noodle to wrap around the edges of the frames. This a great, inexpensive way to protect artwork!

Artwork

Share your before and after photos with us on Facebook!

 Happy Organizing!

Garage Storage Ideas

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 Photo via Better Homes & Gardens

“We adore chaos because we love to produce order.” – M.C. Escher

The U.S. Department of Energy reports that one-quarter of people with two-car garages have so much stuff in there that they can’t park a car. Our garages are filled with stuff, stuff and more stuff!

Things to Store in the Garage

  1. Car. Of course.
  2. Seasonal sports equipment
  3. Lawn and garden care supplies and equipment
  4. Tools
  5. Car care equipment
  6. Holiday decorations
  7. Rarely used kitchen appliances. Turkey roasters, bread makers, canning supplies, and holiday dishes.
  8. Canned goods in glass containers. The tight seal keeps out bugs, plus the garage temperature helps them last longer.
  9. Donate and consign bins
  10. Cleaning supplies

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Things NOT to Store in the Garage

No matter what kind of garage you have  – these are things that shouldn’t be stored there. A garage is harder to keep clean and pest free – keep that in mind when storing your belongings!

  1. Food (not contained in glass). Think of all the rodents and bugs that can burrow into cardboard, paper and plastic!
  2. Photos. Cold weather and water damage can destroy your precious memories. Take our photo class and turn them into priceless photo books or DVDs!
  3. Slides. Again, same as photos.
  4. Artwork. Potential water and pest damage.
  5. Instruments. The cold is terrible on wood and brass instruments.
  6. Upholstered Furniture. Again think about what could get into those cushions.

Julies Garage Bins

Our Favorite Garage Organizing Products

  1. Clear plastic containers. Clear containers allow you to immediately see what you have. Don’t use the clam shell lid bins or varying colors!  Get bins that are sturdy with clip lids. Costco has a three pack or the IRIS brand from Office Max, Office Depot, Storable’s and online has a wide variety of sizes to fit your needs.
  2. Rolling chrome shelves. We love these Costco shelves and we’ve used them in many homes. They move around easily and keep everything off the ground.
  3. Labels. Save yourself future time and energy and buy a label maker now to label your bins!
  4. Garage Vacuum.  A wall mounted garage vacuum takes the stress out of cleaning your car and helps keep your garage tidy.

For more inspiration check out our NEW Pinterest board: Garage Organization!

Don’t miss out on our upcoming classes! The Simply Organized Home & Organizing Your Photos