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Blog: The Simplified Home
 Quick Garage Organizing Tips
Spring is almost here! Are you as ready as I am to get outdoors and get your yard ready for spring? But how easy will that be if your garage has turned into a wasteland of clutter and junk you've been saving for years?
The U.S. Department of Energy reports that 25-percent of people with two-car garages don't have room to park any cars inside, and 32-percent only have room for one vehicle. Consider how little value that junk stored in the garage has vs. the value of the cars that have to live in the driveway exposed to the elements and potential break-ins. Consider these tips to regain your garage space for better use.
No matter if you purchase an expensive custom garage storage system or just hang a few hooks for your bikes; investing in the organization of your garage can prevent environmental hazards like rodent infestations and chemical leaks, and save you time and money. Hey, you might even fit your car in there once it's organized!
• Create zones where like items will live (i.e. automotive, gardening, sports, tools, toys, etc.) Consolidate items for easy retrieval, placing items as close as possible to where they will be used. For example, keep gardening supplies in a large basket by the outside door. Set recycling bins right next to the interior door. Put tools near the workbench.
• Install pegboard on one wall. Use hooks to hold tools and gardening equipment. Pop in brackets and you can install shelving as well. Then use labeled jars or a multi-drawer storage system to separate small pieces of hardware. I like the vertical tool organizers with clear drawers that allow you to see what's in each drawer without having to open it.
• Get stuff off the floor and onto the walls and ceiling. Install inexpensive hooks to hold bikes, rakes, brooms, sleds, ladders, and hoses. Install cabinets and shelving along the back or side walls. In garages with high ceilings, I've even recommended ceiling storage that creates suspended shelf space to make use of the unused overhead space.
• Make it easy for kids to access and put away their own stuff. Use a tall trashcan to hold hockey sticks, baseball bats, and other long items. Corral balls in a large bin. Place balls and bats, and other toys that kids will take out in the yard or driveway, close to the external entrance of the garage (close to where they are used). In the garage of one of my clients, we corralled bikes and Big Wheels by making imaginary parking spaces by installing industrial tape to the floor like a parking lot. The kids loved putting their bikes away in their own parking space.
• Be prepared for an emergency - keep a fire extinguisher handy, mounted on the wall.
Organizing your garage with these tips will help you to truly enjoy your newly accessible space and the new season.
posted on: 3/16/2009 10:00:00 AM by Janet Nusbaum, The Organizing Genie
category: Homes
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The Simplified Home
by Janet Nusbaum, The Organizing Genie
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About Janet:
Janet Nusbaum creates calm out of chaos, and loves bringing serenity and order to overwhelmed households, cluttered offices, frazzled parents, and transitioning seniors and families. Janet, President of Simplified Spaces & The Simplified Home, is an Organizing Consultant, Senior Move Manager, Author and Speaker.
She is the author of "Mom, Can I Help Around the House?" A Simple, Step-by-Step System for Teaching Your Children Life-Long Skills for Pitching-In & Picking-up".
She is a proud member: National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) & National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD)
Visit our blog - www.TheOrganizingGenie.com, and sign-up to receive our special report "SHELF LIFE OF 75 COMMON HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. Use this report to decide what to keep and what to toss ... then TAKE ACTION!!
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