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Posted on: September 10, 2007

Out With Clutter!

An organized, tidy garage (including space for your car) is within your grasp. Here are some tried-and-true tips for de-cluttering your junk-drawer room, courtesy of top professional organizers

By Jeff Schnaufer
CTW Features

Bringing order to your garage will make every moment spent in it that much simpler - no need to search for long-lost items, you'll know right where they are! Image courtesy iStockphoto

If you've ever felt lost when you enter your garage, you're not alone.

Nearly eight out of 10 homeowners rated the garage as the most disorganized place in the house in 2007, according to professional organizer Jan Hayner of Sheboygan, Wis. That number is up from 50 percent of homeowners in 2003.

So with a growing number of homeowners able to find fewer of their possessions in their garages, what can be done to cull the clutter? We asked several experts to provide their top tips. And considering the fact that the average American burns 55 minutes a day (or 12 weeks a year) looking for things he owns but can't find, it's worth a few minutes to look over this list.

Pitch It

"Get rid of everything you don't use," says Hayner, an author and columnist who regularly dispenses easy home-organizing solutions. "Throw out all of the excess paper, containers and packaging."

"Get things up off the floor as much as possible to avoid water damage and make the garage less congested," says Barry Izsak of Austin, Texas, the past president of the National Association of Professional Organizers and author of “Organize Your Garage in No Time” (Que, 2005).

"If you didn't need or want it while it was inside your house, you probably won't want it more because it is now in your garage," says Christina Leon, an author and professional organizer from Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Use Storage Containers

While you may need to run out and buy a few cardboard boxes or other large containers, take a quick look around your house beforehand.

"There are many things which you already have that can be utilized for this purpose," says Izsak. He suggests “clear containers, kitchen Tupperware discards, leftover plastic shoe boxes, trash cans and recycled copy-paper boxes with removable lids for archival records."

Label It

When it comes to labeling your containers, boxes and cans, the question isn't what type of labels you should buy, how big they are or what color marker you should use. The most important question is visibility.

"You should be able to stand in the middle of the room and by scanning your garage be able to find anything that you are looking for," says Hayner.

Look Up

"There's lots of great usable storage space above the garage door and other high places using easy-to-install loft storage,” says Izsak. “Store things up there that you don't use often."

Overhead rafters can hold big, bulky items, Izsak says. Otherwise, pegboards can be an inexpensive option, while hooks and brackets can be used to hang lumber, lawn chairs, golf clubs, skis and even luggage.

What you don't hang can be placed on easy-to-install shelves. Izsak suggests using adjustable, ventilated shelving, while Leon suggests putting some thought into where you place them – and what you place on them. "Organize the shelves so that they are easy to access," Leon says.

Designate Space

Organize storage areas in your garage according to a specific category, Hayner suggests. These include electrical, hand tools, electric tools, nails, screws etc. automotive, lawn, garden, painting, hardware, string, tape, cleaning supplies etc.

Standolyn Robertson, president of NAPO and a certified professional organizer, suggests designating an area of the garage for bicycles, as well. "Use an indoor/outdoor rug or tape to establish an area to "park" the bike," she says. "Don't forget hooks for the helmets."

Store It Safely

Keep poisons and flammables out of the reach of children and pets, Robertson says. Izsak goes a bit further by suggesting your garage be equipped with a cabinet with doors that can be locked, allowing you to safely store paint, caulk, chemicals, and lawn and garden supplies.

Keep It Organized

Congratulations! If you've followed these steps, your garage should be organized and clutter-free enough to park your car, get to your bicycle and even find that oil painting your distant aunt gave you just in time to hang it up in the house before she comes over to visit. But don't get too complacent. "Don't start to throw things in there and ruin what you have accomplished!" Leon says. "Maintain, maintain, maintain."

Hayner suggests investing in two garbage cans – one for paper and one for cans. Use a leaf blower or vacuum cleaner once a month to get rid of cobwebs, dust and small particles.

"If you use it – put it away and you won't be looking for something the next time you need it," Hayner says. She even has a solution to prevent items from getting lost in the future.

"If you are like most people, you oftentimes let a neighbor or family member borrow something and then forget about it," Hayner says. “Have a sign-out sheet so you can keep track of who borrowed it and if it was returned.”