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Winter is well under way and if you are like many people, your cars have been banished to the driveway because your garage is overrun with bikes, kids’ toys, garden tools, trashcans, and the holiday decorations. Your garage serves as more of a storage unit than its intended purpose of housing parked cars. If you prefer a warm car to begin your morning commute, then it is time to reclaim your garage by making better use of your available space.

snow covered car, cars, garages, car image

Tip 1: When beginning any home organizing project, the first step should be to throw away any damaged or broken items that cannot be repaired. The second step should be to identify any items that you could sell or donate. As you organize the garage space, these “castaway” items should be placed in another location to help give you a clear idea of the items you plan to keep which will be efficiently organized in the garage.

Tip 2: Take advantage of the vertical space in your garage. Vertical wall space is often under-utilized and can be a great place to install shelves. When selecting a shelf size, be sure to maximize the depth of the shelves while allowing enough space to walk around your car when it is parked in the garage. Shelves should also be installed from floor to ceiling to again maximize the use of space. In taking advantage of this space, be sure to put items that you need less frequently on higher shelves and more frequently accessed items on the middle to lower shelves. The top shelf is perfect for holiday decorations and the bottom shelf is perfect for the kid’s toy trucks or a bin full of garden tools.

Tip 3: Look up! Another often-overlooked storage solution is utilizing the area above the garage doors and along the ceiling. Using simple shelves that hang down from the ceiling can provide a vast amount of storage. Ceiling shelves can be purchased at your neighborhood hardware or building supply center, or at specialty home organizing stores like the Container Store. This space is perfect for holiday decorations, coolers, and folding chairs that are typically only used in the spring. Ceiling space is also great for storing bikes that can be hung from hooks on the ceiling above your cars.

garden tools, rakes, organized, garage

Tip 4: Maximize the way that you organize your garden tools by hanging them along the wall near the garage door and hanging the tools as flat as possible along the wall. Hanging items frees the walkways along the walls. This also allows you to park your car closer to the wall which saves space in the center of your garage. Think about the pattern in which your family will exit the car and walk to the entry door. The wall with the least walking traffic is usually the best wall for garden tool storage.

Tip 5: Remember that not all garages are constructed the same, so available space may vary greatly from garage to garage. Some garages include a lot of floor space where shelves could be installed, some include nine or ten-foot ceilings for great vertical storage space, while others have a smaller footprint. If you are working with a smaller garage, then efficiency needs to be paramount and you will need to consider alternate storage places for some of your belongings. The holiday decorations may have to be stored in the attic, the paint may need to move to the basement, and the extension cords need to go in the coat closet.

An organized garage provides great space for storage. However, when you can’t fit your car(s), it’s time to declutter. Once you’re finished, you’ll be able to start your morning commute in a warm car (or cool in the summer) and avoid the harsh elements.

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Do you have a cluttered garage? Can you park your car(s) in your garage? Post pics or tell us about it in the comments.

About Alejandra

About Alejandra

Since 2008, organizing expert & certified life coach, Alejandra Costello has taught thousands of students in 132 countries how to get organized through her video-based training programs. Her YouTube videos have been viewed 100+ million times. Named 1 of the 5 most organized people in America by HGTV and “The Decluttering Queen” by Good Morning America, Alejandra’s expertise has been featured in The New York Times, Oprah.com, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, Woman’s Day, Parents Magazine, and CBS. 

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