Clutter harbors dirt, vermin, and negative energy. It can be a safety hazard and cause garage door damage or failure. One of the complaints we hear quite often is that the contents of the garage belong to someone else living in the home. Hint: it’s usually women who tell us this.
In the interest of harmonious family dynamics, we will also say that women are more likely to take over the master bedroom closet. So, clutter in the home and garage is a family problem, regardless of who put it there. Today, we’re going to talk about methods of dealing with garage clutter and how to regain possession of your garage after clutter takes over by changing your thinking about the garage.
Make it a family venture, for a family gain.
When a family pulls together on a project like cleaning the garage, there is a benefit to each member, as garages are often the family entryway into the home. A clean garage will create an ambiance for everyone as they arrive home from various daily endeavors.
Once the entire family has spent time cleaning the garage, they have a vested interest in keeping it clean.
Make it as a living space.
Even though we don’t usually think of the garage as a living space, it is no less valid just because we don’t spend time eating or watching TV in it. While we also don’t spend quality time in our front hallway, we wouldn’t think of dropping a box of fishing vests or summer sandals in the foyer and leaving them there for the winter.
Once we mentally shift gears and think of the garage as a living space, we redefine what is acceptable concerning clutter. By rethinking priorities, we create options for dealing with those items which will probably spend a substantial amount of time in the garage.
Have a nuts-and-bolts plan
A storage plan to make the best use of garage space should include a place for everything a family intends to keep in the garage. A place for everything means there will not be any ‘orphans,’ or things which don’t have a home. Some families will benefit from having a labeling system for everything, but the point is that items aren’t randomly assigned to an empty corner.
Storage should be custom planned, as each family will have a different set of storage needs. Some ideas for making storage more family-friendly are racks for tools, storage bins (which can be stored overhead), a workbench, boat rack, bike rack, ceiling racks, toolbox, pegboards, canvas storage bags, and, of course, garage cabinets.
Flexibility is an essential component because the number and type of car products, fishing gear, cleaning items, bikes, garden, and automotive tools, and seasonal items will change over time. Garage management will depend heavily on having things available in order of necessity. The less-used items are in a somewhat less convenient location than those which are more often needed. However, as a family warms to the concept of the garage as a living space, they will use this thinking, available storage, and their inherent desire for a lovely home to continually rearrange garage items as needed to maintain a beautiful living space.
About the author: Danny Cappello is a co-founder of Quick Response Garage Doors. When not busy with work Danny enjoys playing tennis, and spending time with his family. You can check him out on Linkedin.
