The garage is one of the most versatile spaces in a home, able to house anything from cars to gardening supplies to school memories. That's precisely why it's also a breeding ground for chaos, which becomes quite apparent once you start looking for a road map, spade or high school yearbook. You can tame the clutter, though, with the help of Jamie Novak, author of two best-selling books, 1,000 Best Quick and Easy Organizing Secrets and 1,000 Best Quick and Easy Time-Saving Strategies. Here, Jamie reveals how to make the most of your garage space.
1. Sort Your Stuff The first step is figuring out what you own. Start by sorting everything into categories. Separate the gardening tools from the car maintenance supplies and sporting equipment. The "like with like" principle is a basic, yet powerful, organizing technique.
2. Toss the Trash Keep a few heavy-duty garbage bags handy as you sort so you can easily toss things away. Be ruthless; 86 all the broken equipment, rusted tools, and toys that are missing pieces. Haul the recyclables to the curb or to the recycling center, and check www.eiae.org to learn where you can drop off hazardous waste, such as computer equipment and paint cans. Insider tip: home supply stores sell a powder mix that can be added to paint cans to make them safe to throw away.
3. Share Your Stuff
Once you have separated items into groups, and tossed the trash, you may be surprised to see how much good stuff you own. Keep the best and give away the rest.
• Give away your unused items for free at www.freecycle.org
• Donate to a local charity and take the tax deduction
• Give back borrowed items to their rightful owner
• Schedule a garage sale for the items you've earmarked
• Return abandoned family items
4. Measure the Space To see exactly how much room you have for storage, park your car in the garage and open the doors and trunk. Use chalk to outline the floor space. Measure the gap from the top of the open trunk to the ceiling; you can then hang things above your car.
5. Plan the Space The items you decide to keep need a home, and the floor is not an option. Plan out the space, designating certain areas for specific items. Look at your categories and pick an area of the garage for each one, keeping accessibility in mind.
