Click Here To Get Organized and Relax.
Entries Tagged 'Garage Organizing' ↓
And some that I don’t want to find in your garage either! Starting with….
1) Rats-dead or alive. Now, we actually happen to have pet rats at our house that came from the Hoarder’s Show (I know, I know, a professional organizer with rats from the Hoarder’s Show), but they are contained, cute & fluffy and clean themselves like little cats. But when I’m working in a garage, I don’t much care to run into one.
Keeping your garage clear of clutter will help eliminate nice, toasty warm homes for creatures who should live outside.
2) Cardboard. What’s up with cardboard? People just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE cardboard, you know, the boxes for just in case. OK, if you move you can always get more boxes. If you move, you can wrap the coffee pot in bubble wrap instead of pulling out the original box from 8 years ago. At the very least, please flatten the cardboard if you must keep it.
3) Dried up paints. Make sure old paint is disposed of in a way that won’t harm the environment. If you need to remember the paint mixture for the future, just keep the lid with the label on it. In our area, we can drop off latex paint at the hazardous waste station and we can dry out latex paint and throw the can in the garbage. Be sure to find out what the rules are in your area.
4) Hazardous chemicals that you no longer use. Get those out for the safety of pets and people; contact your local hazardous waste station to find out what is and what is not accepted. I was pretty surprised to find out that our station takes shoe polish!
5) Broken belongings. If it’s not broken, don’t fix it. But if it is broken-fix it! Don’t put it aside for someday. Either fix it, get it fixed or trash it. Wow, I’m so tough this morning.
Kick these 5 things out of your garage and open up some space for important items or even your car maybe! For more garage organizing tips, please read more right here-I’ve got ya covered!
Tags: chemicals, clutter, DIY organization, Garage Organizing, garage organizing tips, hazardous waste station, Home Organization, Home Organization Blog, paint
What do you think, does this garage need some organizing-yes, no, maybe so? I think I know the answer. This garage was in need of organizing and despite how it appears, a huge amount of work was done in only two hours with quick decision-making. How do you know if your garage is in need of organization? Let’s take a look at 5 warning signs and you can see if any of these fit the bill for you.
Warning Sign #1: You can’t park in the garage although you would like to. Usually this means your valuable vehicle sits outside exposed to the elements and possible vandalism while stuff you haven’t seen in years sits on the garage floor. Now if you don’t want to park inside, that’s ok, but you should still be able to use your garage and not let your clutter use you.
Warning Sign #2: You feel stressed every time you come home. Even if you park in the driveway, the chances are good that you open your garage door and enter the home through the garage. Well, every time you come home that means you are welcomed by stuff that’s causing you stress. I want your home to be a source of comfort for you at the end of a long day, not a source of stress.
Warning Sign #3: People driving by stop because they think you are having a garage sale, but you’re not. Well, that’s embarrassing, maybe it is time for a real garage sale then. Just make sure it’s worth your time, effort and energy to put together a sale. When clients are overwhelmed, often it’s just easier for them to donate the items in good condition and take the tax write-off.
Warning Sign #4: You’re embarrassed for the neighbors to see your garage when you open the door. Our garage is often a glimpse into our home and if your garage looks that bad, people may wonder what the rest of your house looks like. The chances are good that this is confined to your garage as the garage is often a dumping ground, but your neighbors don’t know that.
Warning Sign #5: You have no idea what’s being stored in your garage. Your garage is prime real estate and it has the potential to store even more prime real estate such as your vehicles. Maybe you are storing empty boxes (just in case), maybe you have boxes that belong to someone else that no longer lives there, maybe you have boxes that were never unpacked from a move or maybe you have boxes full of items that were passed to you after a death. Whatever you may have out there, make sure that you know what you have and that you have access to be able to use and enjoy it. Just take a box at a day if you have to.
If any of these signs make you realize you have some work to do, then here are some awesome garage organizing tips to get you started in the right direction-you can do it!
Tags: DIY organization, garage, garage organizing tips, home, Home Organization, Home Organization Blog, organization, warning sign, warning signs that your garage is in need of organization
Here we go, we’ll just jump right into part 2 with awesome places to store your stuff that make sense!
Laundry Room
1) Keep a supply caddy filled with cleaning supplies up high, away from kids and pets. This also makes your cleaning supplies mobile.
2) This is a great place to store extra clothing hangers.
3) Use turntables for sprays and cleaning sticks, just spin and grab what you need so nothing falls over.
4) Store your iron and ironing board on the wall or door to save space
5) A drying rack on the wall that pulls out will be out of your way when you don’t need it
Keepsakes
1) Use an archival-safe box in a closet or on a shelf. Avoid the garage due to humidity, heat, cold.
Backpacks/Coats
1) Hooks or cubbies by door you leave from. Make it easy for kids to succeed by placing them at their level.
Dining Room
1) Stash place mats, napkins, napkin rings, candles close to the table so it’s easy to set for your family or for company.
Family room
1) Items for activities you do in this room: books, music, dvds, board games & throw blankets
Garage
1) Place paint & paint supplies all in one area
2) Store tools together so it’s easy to work on projects & repairs
3) Store camping gear and supplies in one section
4) Keep holiday decor safely stored in labeled bins
5) Keep sports equipment together so you can grab them and go when it’s time to have some fun
Make sure that you store items that you use the most in a way that is more easily accessible and items that don’t aren’t needed as often can be stored higher or lower so you have to work a little harder. For tips on what you can toss before you begin looking for storage solutions, please read more right here.
Tags: DIY organization, Garage Organizing, home, Home Organization, Home Organization Blog, Laundry Room Organizing, tips on what to toss
Don’t be alarmed! But do expect a certain amount of messiness (do I dare say clutter?) while you are going through the decluttering process. When I work with clients they are usually overwhelmed by their piles and don’t know where to begin to unearth everything.
cluttered garage
As we start pulling items out to sort and make decisions on what to keep and what to part with, oftentimes the space looks even worse for a while! When I am working with clients, I am always reassure them that this is part of the process. We will have labeled boxes or bags around us for garbage & donations and we will probably need to spread out. . The biggest domino effect is when we find items that need to be moved to another area of the home. This may make other rooms look cluttered. I always tell clients that we have to start with one area and preserve our goal of getting that area in shape. This may mean other areas of the home will have to be addressed later, but we can only focus on one are at a time.
part of the decluttering process
Someone may even drive by your house and think there is a garage sale going on. Hey, that could be a great way to unload a few things and make some money on the spot!
To make sure you don’t get overwhelmed by the process, follow these six organizing tips:
Organizing Tip #1: Take one small area at a time. Don’t pull too much out at once, by the time you pull it all out, you may be too tired to deal with it!
Organizing Tip #2: Keep all of your supplies right in the area you are working so you don’t have to run around. This would include labeled bags for garbage, donations and recycle.
Organizing Tip #3: Keep a box or bin labeled, “Another Room” for all the items that you are keeping that need to be moved to another area of your home. Don’t run around dropping these things off while you are supposed to be decluttering and organizing. Leave it until the end of your decluttering session and then go put them in their correct locations.
Organizing Tip #4: Remember that there will be some chaos before the calm. This is normal and it is part of the process. Do not be alarmed! 
Organizing Tip #5: Get some help so you don’t get too worn out if you have a big project.
Organizing Tip #6: Allow yourself to work in chunks of time that feels manageable to you. This isn’t TV and it’s not going to be done in 30 minutes like it looks like on TV. You can make progress in as little as 15 minutes; I usually work in 3 hour blocks with my clients so we can get a lot done without wearing everyone out. You don’t want to get burned out on your first go around!
Look at how lovely in just 3 hours and we found $500 cash that day in a box!!
organized garage
For more tips on how to declutter your home, please stay with me and read more here!
Tags: clutter, declutter your home, Decluttering, DIY organization, Home Organization, Home Organization Blog, organizing tips, overwhelmed
Let me share 10 reasons with you why going from this:
To this rocks!
Organized Garage!
When you are organized:
1) You greatly reduce your stress level! Every time you can’t find what you need it causes stress. Every time you walk past an area that you know you should be organizing, it causes stress.
2) You can find what you need! Imagine that! You can get your hands right on the items you are loooking for: sweet!
3) You save money. When you can’t find what you need, you go out and buy another one. Now you’ve spent money on something you already have ‘somewhere.’
4) You reduce duplicates. When you know what you have and how to find it, you will reduce the need to run out and buy another one which creates even more cluttter-nooooo!
5) You can use your space. It’s awesome that this garage can now be used for the family to play ping pong and they can even pack up their camping gear easily for a family trip!
6) You can invite people into your home. You won’t have to run around closing door and shoving stuff in closets before company comes. You can invite people into your home without being embarrassed!
7) You can protect your belonging that have meaning to you. You don’t want your special treasures buried beneath a pile of stuff that doesn’t have meaning to you-no way!
8) Your home can be your haven. Wouldn’t it be nice to come home and feel good there? I think so.
9) You can showcase belongings that show what your interests are. When your home is cluttered, nothing stands out. But when you declutter and get organized, you can easily see the items that reflect your personality.
10) You don’t have to feel guilty that you haven’t gotten organized and you will no longer have to feel overwhelmed by your stuff!
These are all awesome reasons to get organized and you may have few of your own-I’d love to hear what they are! If you need help getting organized, please consider my decluttering video that will show you have to get organized on your own easily, step-by-step!
Tags: decluttering video, DIY organization, get organized, home, Home Organization, Home Organization Blog, organized garage, overwhelmed
When it comes to home organization, it takes two things to make it happen: 1) Decrease the amount of stuff that you have. 2) Increase your storage space. Sometimes you have to be a little bit creative when it comes to stretching your space, look up, look down, look all around! If you need a little bit of help, here are 10 ways to stretch your space:
1) Look up and use the ceiling such as with this great overhead storage unit for the garage. Stuff over, car under.
2) Use hooks on the wall to maximize storage. Great for garden tools like shovels & rakes in the garage!
3) Use available space under your bed. A storage container with wheels and tight fitting lid is ideal.
4) Use wall space, walls are a blank canvas waiting for shelves & hooks!
5) Use organizing products. The options abound!
6) Use wall racks to increase storage-especially great in garages!
7) Look for overlooked areas that you can use for storage: 
8) Use doors-another blank canvas waiting for hooks. You can even purchase hooks that just slide over the top of the door. No nails, no holes but a place for your towels or robes!
9) Take advantage of height or stacking.
10) Part with some of your stuff-send it off to another room or even off to another person or charity!
Make decisions on what to keep, let go of the excess and then use any or all of these tips to stretch the space that you do have!
Your Home Organization Expert-Monika
Tags: DIY organization, garage, Home Organization, home organization expert, hooks, increase storage, Organizing Product Reviews, overhead storage units, storage container, stretch space
Are you are feeling overwhelmed by your home organization projects? Do you have lots of piles in lots of rooms and don’t know where to get started? Sometimes people don’t even get started because they feel so overwhelmed and don’t know how they will ever get through it all. Well, there is light at the end of the tunnel! You CAN get through it and see progress, see empty spaces and clear your counters!
Here is the serious dent that was made in this garage in only about 2.5 hours:
Garage in Need of Organization
Garage Partially Decluttered
There’s still work to do in the second photo, but we were able to finish the rest of the garage during the next round in about 3 hours.
Organized Garage Shelving Unit
Here are 5 organizing tips to help you see the light if you are feeling overwhelmed by your clutter:
1) Remember this is not TV and your project doesn’t have to be finished in one day.
2) Choose one room to start with, then choose one area to start with within the room.
3) Work in one area until it is done and then move onto the next area in the room.
4) You may have to move items that will no longer stay in the room you are working in. This could mean moving them into another room which will make that room look worse for a while. Remember, you can only work in one area at a time, so preserve your goals in one room before you worry about the next one.
5) Make it more fun with music, snacks and a helper.
You CAN see light at the end of the tunnel! It starts with decluttering one small area at a time, staying consistent and keeping at it. Be sure to reward yourself along the way too!
Tags: declutter, garage organization, Home Organization, Home Organization Blog, home organization projects, organizing tips, room
Organized Garage
A great way to stay on top of garage organization projects is to commit to sweeping on a regular basis. If the floor is packed-you just really can’t sweep. Plus, it just really feels great to walk into a freshly swept, neat garage! And it keeps you from dragging stuff into the house on your shoes or feet. Commit to sweeping at least once a month which will actually mean committing to keeping the floor clear of extra “stuff!”
For more tips, check out my other garage organization posts for more help!
Even professional organizers have to declutter and reorganize our own homes from time-to-time. And, yes, I do admit it-I LOVE it!! Recently I’ve been working away at my own home organization project out in the garage. My garage already has shelving and overhead storage units and hooks on the walls, so it wasn’t like I was in bad shape or anything. But some items have been leaving the garage, giving me a good opportunity to move things around and do some fine tuning.
I store a lot of my organzing supplies and products out in the garage but I also had some of these types of items in my home office as well. Since I have some extra room in the garage now, I decided this was a good time to look at what I have been storing in my office that might be better suited for the garage so I can grab and go as I leave the house. I want to make packing up to leave the house for clients and classes as efficient as possible.
While I was out there, I decided that part of fine tuning would be to capture some items that were sitting on the shelf and give them suitable homes. As you see in the photo above, my ziplock bags were sitting on a shelf next to some file boxes. Now, this really didn’t look that bad, but they did seem a little bit random just sitting there. I decided to use a shoebox size bin to round them up and of course afix a handy dandy label to the outside! I couldn’t get all three boxes in the bin, so I just placed the actual bags from one half-used box next to the other two boxes.
When you give belongings a home:
- You place a cap on how much you can keep
- You make it clear to others where things go
- You have a clear home to return items to when you are done with them
Give your belongings a home to make your life easier and make your home look neater too!
Tags: belongings, bin, declutter, file boxes, garage, home, Home Organization, hooks, overhead storage units, professional organizers, ziplock bags
It doesn’t take much for our cars to get cluttered, especially when we have kids. I don’t know what it is about every little available crevice that makes kids feel like they need to stuff wrappers, chewed up gum or pieces of paper in them. But they do. So today I was sitting at the drive through line at the bank. I realized I had some garbage and there was a handy garbage can right next to the car. So I took a minute to start grabbing wrappers to toss while I had to sit and wait anyway. One less thing to do later and I took advantage of wait time. This is something you can do when you are filling your car with gas as well.
So you can declutter your car and lighten the load at least a little bit at your next stop!
