Guest blog post by Indiana Lee

If you find your garage becoming messier and less organized than you’d like, realize that you’re not alone. It’s easy to think of a garage as simply a place to park the car and as a temporary space to store stuff that won’t fit in the house. However, that mess can grow over time, and eventually, you can find that clutter gets out of hand.

Rest assured, it’s not too late to reclaim your garage. By implementing some smart hacks and thinking through improving functionality, you can clean up that space and make it a pleasant place to spend your time. Here are some tips to get you started.

Remove Unnecessary Clutter

The first thing you need to do is get rid of the unnecessary clutter in the garage because there’s no point in storing items you never plan to use again.

The art of junk removal requires a plan. You need to go around the space and think about the items that you no longer need, like:

• Baseball mitts, shoes, and sports equipment that no longer fits.

• Tools you’ve never used and don’t intend to in the future.

• Expired paint and car fluids that have been in the garage for years.

It helps to list everything you want to remove and then take it one step at a time.

As you go through all the stuff in the to-go pile, consider whether it should be thrown away, recycled, donated, or sold online.

Separate everything and make the proper moves, and then you can go onto the organizing phase.

Organizing The Larger Stuff First

One of the first tactics you may want to try with a messy garage is to sort through some of the larger items, making it easier to get around and see all the smaller stuff you need to organize.

Larger items could include yard equipment like the lawnmower and weed whackers. You can get the lawnmower out of the way by placing it flat against the wall or in the shed. Many of the other pieces of equipment can be hung from hooks, including shovels and rakes. There are even special hooks that you can purchase to hang the wheelbarrow from the wall.

Storing Sports Equipment

Other large items in your garage might include sports equipment that’s difficult to tuck into a corner. Instead, you can hang bikes from hooks and place them flat against the wall. If you have a lot of baseball bats, soccer balls, basketballs, hockey sticks, etc., you can purchase large totes that stack on one another so that stuff isn’t rolling around.

If the sports you love require you to travel frequently from place to place, then you may find that you need to pack and transport your items with bike racks, cargo boxes, and ski racks.

• If you’re in the market for these storage options, consider the fact that you have the choice of roof mounts, hatch mounts, suction mounts that stick to glass or metal, and many other options.

These are all great storage choices for when you’re on the road and you can purchase them online or at many vehicle dealerships.

There are pros and cons to different types of mounts.

• Roof mounts keep your equipment out of your line of vision, but they make the vehicle taller, so you need to beware of garages, bridges, and low clearances.

• Suction mounts may not be a permanent solution, but they’re great if you're renting a car and don’t want to cause damage.

Once you get them home, think about storage. If you don’t plan to drive that vehicle until the next excursion, you can keep the rack on your car so it’s not sitting around the garage.

It’s not a good idea to drive to work or to run errands with storage boxes or bike racks because they hurt your gas mileage. So, consider removing them and putting them on shelves or storage areas on the ceiling so they’re out of the way.

Creative Ways to Store Smaller Items

With the more oversized items in their place, it’s time to streamline your garage and consider other smart hacks that can help you maximize the space and stay organized so you can always find what you need.

When it comes to storing smaller items like parts and tools, some of the best garage hacks include:

• Using wire or woven baskets to store accessories.

• Repurposing plastic bottles or mason jars to hold miscellaneous nails, nuts, and bolts.

• Create clothespin holders to hold onto hats and gloves.

• Install a pegboard to hold your tools.

• Put magnetic strips on the walls to easily hold metal wrenches and drill bits.

Whenever you put items in jars or drawers, remember to label them so you know where anything is at any time.

The more stuff you keep off the ground, the cleaner your garage will look, and you can maintain an aesthetically pleasing design.

Time to think about storing things vertically and overhead.

One solution for storage in smaller spaces is to go up instead of across There’s likely space on the walls and ceiling where you can store items so they’re in their place but also out of sight, so the garage looks nice. If in doubt, add more shelves higher up on the walls that can be accessed by a ladder or step stool.

Improve The Functionality

Now that everything is organized and put away, another aspect of revolutionizing your garage space to keep in mind is planning to improve functionality.

Think about ways to “modernize” your garage.

• If you have an electric vehicle, this may be an opportunity to add an EV charging station so you can charge your car and be ready to go when necessary.

• You can keep the garage clean by adding floor coating, so vehicle fluids and spills are easy to clean.

You may spend a lot of time in the garage doing other tasks, like working on art projects or exercising. If that’s the case, think about lighting.

Recessed lighting is a great option because it installs in the ceiling, so it's out of the way while providing the illumination you need.

Better yet, install a garage door with windows so you can use natural light to see what you’re doing. Plus, the natural light during the day will also help keep the lighting bill down because you won’t need artificial lights, bonus!

These are just a few changes you can make to your garage to add functionality and appeal. In addition to making your life easier now, these easy upgrades can also help you to get a better price if you ever decide to sell.

Conclusion

Long story short, it is possible to clean and organize your garage so it’s more than just a dark place to park the car. Consider these storage options and find a place for everything. You’ll stay organized and have a garage in which you can be proud.

Read Next

Join the Fun!

If you enjoyed this post and you want to keep seeing my weekly blog, the best way to do that is to subscribe.

You can subscribe by downloading my 11 Secrets Only Designers Know to Make Your Space Rock. If you’re curious about how decorators and designers make a home look magazine ready, you’ll love taking a gander at these 11 secrets. You’ll learn how to style your room from the floor up and it will work for ANY space you have.

I write about small space design and decorating, sustainable furniture options, positive self care and a variety of do-it-yourself home décor.

I’d love to connect with you!

The opinions and views expressed in any guest blog post do not necessarily reflect those of Michael Helwig Interiors or its Principal, Michael Helwig. Michael Helwig Interiors, and Michael Helwig, do not have any affiliations with any products or services mentioned in the article or linked to therein. Guest Authors may have affiliations to products mentioned or linked to in their articles or bios.

Indiana Lee is a passionate writer and avid puzzle enthusiast hailing from the serene landscapes of the Pacific Northwest. With a deep appreciation for aesthetics and a strong preference for designs that seamlessly blend comfort and functionality, she brings a unique perspective to the world of interior decor. Connect with her on LinkedIn.