There are some
really cool
garage
organizer systems available these days. You can see a lot of
them at your home improvement center.
They range from simple shelving
systems to complex – but really neat! – cabinetry
and grid systems.
Most of the garage systems available have a
simple goal – to get everything up off your floor. Bins and
boxes are great ways to keep everything organized, but getting them up
onto some sort of shelving system gives the garage a much cleaner, more
organized feel.
It also provides fewer places for rodents
and other
creepy crawlies to nest and hide. This is especially true when you
stick to ventilated or grid shelving. Even cabinetry systems, however,
are often now mounted on the wall, not on the floor.
A lot of garage organizers are now relying
on a track system. These systems are held on the wall by a single
horizontal track.
From there, you have the option (depending
on the
system) of installing cabinetry, ventilated shelves, solid shelves,
hook systems, etc. The possibilities are literally endless.
If you’re overwhelmed by the
prospect of organizing your garage, you may want to consider hiring a
professional organizer. A professional organizer will work with you
throughout the process and will help keep you on track.
If
you’re easily overwhelmed and/or distracted, this alone may
be worth the cost of their services! (On the other hand, if your budget
doesn’t allow this kind expenditure, you may be able to
“buy” the help of some friends and family with a
few pizzas and sodas.)
A professional organizer will walk you
through sorting everything in your garage, finding out how you live,
and helping you sort based on what will be easiest for you to maintain,
organizationally.
They will also help you decide what to keep
and what
to throw away – a difficult decision for most of us!
Don’t be surprised if this process turns quite emotional.
The
benefit of having a neutral party (the professional garage organizer)
there is that he or she can help you see what you have that’s
useful, and what is really just clutter.