The garage tends
to be one of the most
disorganized spaces in the home. Even with a concerted effort to find a
place for everything, it often takes only a few days or weeks for it to
get all cluttered up again.
There are several garage designs
and
approaches to organizing that can help, along with items and systems to
make your garage more pleasant.
Finding a good garage system is easy. The
more difficult part is choosing the one that’s best for you.
You can choose from freestanding shelving systems, cabinetry, plastic
storage units, ceiling storage, wall-mounted shelving, and more.
The
first thing to consider is what will work best for you. While a lot of
people prefer the look of enclosed cabinetry or storage units, liking
the consistent look, many people have found that these types of systems
simply lead to shoving things behind closed doors.
It also brings to
mind the adage: Out of Sight, Out of Mind. If something’s
shoved in a cabinet, it becomes very easy to forget what you have and
buy extra. In this case, open shelving with an assortment of bins and
such become the better option.
The next thing to consider in regards to
garage designs is cost. The
cheapest option is pretty inexpensive, but beware. Some of the least
expensive options aren’t the best for a long-term solution.
For example, while all the wall-mounted
shelving systems look similar,
some simple aren’t designed to hold the weight that will be
on them in a garage situation. The same goes for freestanding units.
So, keep your budget in mind, but also weigh the long-term usability of
the whole system.
Next, it’s time to take stock.
This is a full day’s
(or perhaps a full weekend’s) work.
Take a few moments to
make note of all the different types of items you have in the garage:
tools, gardening, toys, pool equipment, sports, etc. Garage designs are
best done by categorized area.
Then sort all of your items, making sure
to add piles for trash, recycling, and donation (and/or garage sale).
From there it’s simply a matter of deciding which items go
where, and buying and installing your garage system!