4 Steps to an Organized Garage

Did you know that only 30 percent of us actually use our garages to park our cars? Today’s garage is more of a storage unit than a shelter for an automobile but that doesn’t mean it has to look like a giant version of the inside of a kitchen junk drawer.

When you just can’t stand the mess any longer, set aside a day (or a weekend if it’s a particularly huge job) to clean up the clutter. But don’t go at it haphazardly; create a plan on how you’ll organize everything. Whether you’ll use shelves, plastic bins, or a pegboard on which to hang things, or a combination of all of them, purchase what you need before you start the job.

Then, when you’re ready to tackle that giant junk drawer, we have a couple of tips for you.

1. Pull It All Out

That’s right; pull everything out of the garage and onto the driveway. This leaves you with a completely blank slate on which to work your magic.

Cleaning the garage comes first – and it isn’t at all like housecleaning. The tools and products you’ll need depend on how the garage is used. If it is used as storage, your job will be easy. If, on the other hand, you did auto repair projects in the garage, it’ll be a much tougher job.

The best way to start is with a thorough sweeping of the walls and the floor, then a power washing. You may need to use a scraper to get at the paint splatters and other substances that remain after washing.

Use a concrete degreaser and deck brush for oil and grease stains.

2. Splash Some Paint Around

When the floor dries, it’s time to paint the walls and finish the floor. Semi-gloss finish paint is ideal for the walls and epoxy floor coating will make the floor look pristine. The guys at This Old House claim that coating the floor is an easy DIY job and show you how to do it.

3. Sort Through It

While the paint dries, start sorting through everything you moved to the driveway. You’ll need to be brutal when deciding what you’ll take back inside and what you’ll say goodbye to.

When you’ve finished the purge, go through the items you’ve decided to keep and sort everything into categories, such as gardening, tools and sports equipment.

4. Lug It Back In

When you’ve finished sorting and the paint is dry, it’s time to lug what you’re going to keep back into the garage and organize everything according to your plan.

Congratulations! You now have the sexiest garage in your neighborhood.