5 Ways to Organize a Garage on the Cheap
Want to organize your garage on a budget? There are lots of economic garage organizing ideas you can choose from, such as creative shelving options. It doesn’t matter if you have a small garage space or a large one; with the right techniques, you can easily get the results you want!
Here are the top 5 useful ways to organize a garage.
1. Create a Garage Floor Plan
Before you begin organizing your garage, start by creating a garage floor plan. Note down the dimensions of your garage and its size. Mark where the windows, switches, and doors are located and how much garage space your car takes. From the things to keep, similar items should be stored close to one another. For example, gardening tools and lawn chemicals can be stored next to each other. Hand tools such as hammers, screwdrivers, etc. go in another area of the garage. So, your plan includes what kind of tools are stored where. Keep your plan as simple and straightforward as possible, so you remember what is stored where.
2. Create a Place for Everything
The best way to organize a garage is to start by sorting what you already have. Make three separate piles of things to keep, things to donate, and the trash. Don’t buy anything new until you have decluttered your garage and sorted existing items. Sometimes people dump everything in large storage bins. This makes it very difficult to find an item when you need it. You may also get fed up looking for a tool you need at the moment and end up buying a new one, thus adding to your bills.
From the three piles, eliminate the things to donate and trash items from the garage. From the things to keep pile, start creating sub piles. Sort the items into relevant categories such as garden supplies, sports, equipment, household tools, etc. Don’t keep anything that’s broken or damaged. Only keep the items you actively use in order to utilize your space the best possible way.
Once you have categorized all your useful items, you need to start sorting them into the right place. The goal here is to keep all things off the garage floor and into well-thought-out compartments. All tools need to be placed in a toolbox of a drawer. Your cleaning supplies and liquid products go in shelves or cabinets. The shovels and rakes are hung on hooks on a wall. When creating a place for all useful items, you can use options like pegboards, wall shelves, drawers, cabinets, toolboxes, and wall hooks. Rarely used items can go in overhead storage racks. Smaller items go in storage bins
Another great way to clear out items in your garage, is take your seasonal items and store them in a Storage Unit, finding a good storage unit should be easy as entering your zip code on StorageLookup.com
3. Build Vertical Organizing Ways
When thinking of budget-friendly ways to organize a garage, visualize your garage as a tiny house – to save space, you will most likely store all your items vertically. The items you don’t use much will go on the top; the items used most frequently will be at eye level.
You can choose from three budget-friendly vertical organizing methods. You can use pegboards on your garage wall, install a track-based method, or the panelized method.
Pegboards are easily available and are hassle-free to install. They can easily be cut into any size you want and can also be customized and painted. These days, pegboards come with a variety of hooks, organizing spaces, and shelves. Pegboards are a great option for lightweight tools and lighter goods, but they are not sturdy enough to hand large items such as bicycles.
In a track-based method, shelves are fixed to wall studs. Thus, these shelves can bear the weight of heavy objects easily. So, if you have this system in your garage, you can easily hang bicycles easily. The track-based method suits finished and plumbed garage walls well.
In the panelized method, your entire garage wall is fixed with plastic panels. These panels can hold shelves, hooks, and cabinets. The advantage of this method is that your entire wall is put to good use, and there is ample space to store your items. The disadvantage is that some panelized systems need to be installed by trained professionals. So, this method is a little costlier than pegboards or the track-based method.
4. Create a Workbench
The right workbench is important. Purchasing a bench with tools drawers that are built-in can be quite costly. Instead, you can use a simple worktable that has shelves. Add a pegboard towards the top for the handy equipment you need. Also, get a padded stool that is the right height to your worktable. Make sure the tool can fit under the table when not in use. A deluxe tool tower, could be the perfect storage solution for all kinds of tools.
5. Always Keep it Clean
When thinking of the best way to organize a garage, always remember to keep your garage neat and tidy. Replace all the tools in their original place immediately after use to avoid clutter. In the spring, and summer seasons, spray your garage with pesticides created from natural ingredients. This will rid your garage space of all insects. Keep a broom or vacuum stored nearby, so it’s easy to tidy up after completing a project.
Also, keep a small bag of cat litter in the garage. This is useful for absorbing grease and oil spills. Do make sure to wash your garage floor regularly with a hose to keep it clean. Sort through all your garage belongings at least once a year. Donate or sell all items that you don’t use anymore or have become worn out.
Takeaway
Use these five tips when brainstorming ways to organize a garage cost-effectively. It’s imperative to declutter your garage before you start organizing. Keep only the things you use frequently. Maintaining a well-organized garage will be a breeze once you have an effective method to store or hang all your tools and products.
