OO: Tips & Tricks: The Garage, Part 1

Ugh... the garage, the garage. That messy, messy garage.

You are looking at another two parter post for ol' Organization Overhaul (OO) garage tips & tricks. 

Our garage is a MAJOR dumping ground. Every once in a while we clutter it up enough that it is unparkable. Actually, it seems like it has been unparkable more than not.

Right now, it is parkable but such a huge huge mess.

Here is what our garage looked like when Organization Overhaul started.
I am really embarrassed to show this, but I will sacrifice my pride for the sake of OO.

We finally took action when it started spilling out into the driveway.

Here is where we are today:


There is plenty more organization to come in that mess that I call a garage. Part 2 and maybe even part 3 of Garage Organization Overhaul should do the trick.


Now that I have let you in on another one of my super duper messy secrets let's move onto the tips & tricks.

• Like with like. Here is a good example involving sports gear:

• Treat your stuff nicely. Don't throw your paint brushes in a drawer to get all crumpled up and fringy (I made that term up. You know you like it!).

Put them on a magnetic bar

Or a rod. By the way, I'm pretty sure that the first thing most people think of when you say "treat your stuff nicely" is to put paint brushes on a rod!

• Label everything.

• Make it pretty.

There is a very good chance that I only think this one is pretty because it has a cute doggie in it. But The wood is painted, there are signs hung up, and it is super tidy. I am calling it pretty!

• Use vertical space. Your lovely garage just wants to show off how tall she is by storing all of your junk as high as she can. Here are some ways to do it:

This one is also clever because you use the space that you would normally waste above the hood of your car.

Come on... take a peak in your garage with the picture below in your mind. Now answer the question, "How much wasted space to you have in your garage?"

This guy knows how to store things super high. Getting into the floor joists, who would have thought!?!

• Get things off the ground. Things get dirty, cluttered, and messed up when they are on the floor. Bike tires do not like being left in one place for a while. Do them a favor and pick those kiddos up.

source

I will be back in the next week or so to show you another chapter of my messy, messy, embarrassing garage. Until then, go take a peak at your messiest storage area. Does it compare to mine? Is there plenty left for you to do there? Go ahead and send me a photo so I don't feel quite so bad about mine!

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day to you all!

sources: make it pretty, magnetic paint brush, paint brush rod, storage above garage door, storage above car hood, red bins, super high, label, bike