Garage Storage Plans
Picture this: You’ve finally decided to create garage storage plans after putting it off for a while now, and just as you feared you’re now faced with a mountain of your possessions and no idea where to begin. The task of organizing your garage space can be a daunting one, but it does not have to be impossible. And the best part? The garage storage plans can be free; you just have to do a little bit of thinking and pick up a few supplies like plastic bins or easy to put together shelves made of either metal or plastic.
Step One: Declutter Your Space
Take a good look at the things you have in your garage. Now is the time to do a little Spring Cleaning, though it doesn’t have to be spring time; anytime is cleaning time! The very first thing you should do when implementing garage storage plans is to decide what is trash and what is treasure and get rid of the things you aren’t using by selling them, giving them away, or putting them out on the curb. Hanging onto something broken that you’ve been planning to fix someday? Unless it is something you’re really attached to, now is the time to let it go.
Step Two: Make Your Own Garage Storage Plan
Creating garage storage plans for organizing what’s left in your garage begins with determining how much space you have to work in. Grab a tape measure and get an idea of the size of your garage, and draw up some basic plans. Treat it like any other room in your home when creating garage storage plans. Use your newly drawn plans to map out what you will want to put in different areas. It is also a good idea at this stage to get the measurements of any large items that you will be working into your new garage storage plans such as lawn equipment or cabinet or shelving units.
Step Three: Divide and Conquer
Now you’ve gotten rid of the things you’re not going to keep and drawn up garage storage plans, the next step is to tackle the remaining items and divide them into categories based on how often you need to use them throughout the year. Some items like your small gardening tools, garbage bags, and cleaning supplies are things you will need to get to most often, so they should be in a place that is easy to access (such as a cabinet by the garage door). Next look to your larger items such as lawn mowers, rakes, shovels, and other items that you may need to get to on a weekly basis. Set these things aside as most of them can be stored off the ground later on. Next, your other large items such as bicycles, canoes/kayaks, and spare tires for your car will need to be set aside as these things can also be stored off the floor. Last are the seasonal items and equipment such as holiday decorations and snow blowers. These things can be stored on a shelf out of the way since you’re not likely to need them as often as the other things we’ve mentioned.
Step Four: A Place for Everything…
Here’s the fun part of your garage storage plans! You’ve done all the hard work, and now it’s time to put everything in its proper place. This is also where the garage storage plans you drew earlier will come in most handy. Look at the items you have separated into categories, and start with the larger items first. A good garage storage plan is versatile, and takes into account the size of items and the more unorthodox methods you can use to keep them organized. Your large items and recreational equipment like bicycles, canoes, and kayaks can be stored using wall mounted racks or by suspending them from the ceiling using a pulley system. Those seasonal items can be put away in an attic or using a simple shelf system around the outside walls of your garage. Next, you can put away your lawn care tools and cleaning supplies like mops and brooms using a large barrel or a wall mounted organizing rack. And lastly, the things you will need to get to most often can go toward the front of your storage area for easiest access.
Step Five: Organize and Stay Alive
Last but not least in your garage storage plans should be a safe place to store your chemicals, a place that children and animals cannot get into. A simple locked cabinet should do the trick in this case; it is a good idea to include this in your garage storage plan as it provides a peace of mind you might not have otherwise and still enables you to have easy access to these supplies. Also, take care with sharp tools and keep items such as chainsaws stored safely out of reach in a locked box or in your storage cabinet with your other hazardous items.
Now you can stand back and survey your work with pride. Not only did you create these garage storage plans from scratch, but you pulled it off all on your own and at your own pace! Pat yourself on the back, put the key to your new locked cabinet on your key ring, and kick back for a nice cold drink.
