In most homes in the Fairfield, NJ, area, the garage tends to become a de facto storage locker where holiday decorations, yard work tools, sports gear, and forgotten items get placed. Often the garage is full of piles, sometimes forming a perimeter around where we park our car. Other times, it takes the form of a large mound, leaving no space for the car at all. When you step into an organized garage it’s quite surprising. Although most organized, functional spaces are pleasing to look at, most of us don’t think of our garage as a place where we’d like to spend a lot of time. With the proper organization and storage system, your Northern New Jersey garage can actually feel warm and inviting. Here we’ve outlined five steps you can take to de-clutter your garage for good.
1. Consider Your Particular Lifestyle and Needs
Start by thinking about what your ideal garage looks like. What are your hobbies and interests? Do these include projects you could complete in your garage if you had the right workspace? Could your garage be a place to store the necessary tools and equipment to pursue those hobbies? Say you’re an outdoor fiend that goes on bike rides every weekend. You need a place where you can hang up your bike during the week and space to store spare tires and various tools. Communicating your needs to your Closet and Storage Concepts designer is an essential place to start.
2. Get Rid of Unused, Broken, or Emotionally Insignificant Items
Even all the custom organization in the world can’t alleviate having a surplus of belongings. A garage that’s cluttered often contains too much stuff to be functional. We recommend that when you look at each item in your garage you ask yourself did I use this in the last six months, is this in working order, is this emotionally important to me?
3. Clear Floor Space
Your garage should not be a home for boxes and nick knacks. Cluttered garages often instantly overwhelm a person and make them feel confined with little space to walk. The key to a garage that’s both functional and visually appealing is getting things off the floor. This indicates that everything has a home and hasn’t been forgotten.
4. Group Related Items Together
To maximize efficiency, group related items together. For instance, you might place yard work tools in tall cabinets so they can be easily accessed. More infrequently used items, like camping gear and holiday decorations, can be put in higher shelves and cabinets. Closet and Storage Concepts offers custom garage storage racks, hanging wall cabinets, and work benches, which can be helpful when thinking about the designated areas for your gear.
5. Designate a Kids Area
If you’re living in a household with kids, it can be helpful to designate a custom cabinet or locker for them to store their belongings. Having an appropriately placed shelf where they can put away their sidewalk chalk, bike helmet, etc. will encourage good habits, and invite them to get in on the organizing process as well.
Here at Closet and Storage Concepts of Northern New Jersey, we look forward to helping you tackle your garage organization project once and for all. We’ll discuss your goals and create a three dimensional rendering of your custom garage system before we start installing to ensure there are no surprises. Call us today to schedule a free estimate!