Organize That Garage

How many times have we taken our home garage for granted? We pile stuff in anywhere it will fit and maybe it will set there for years. Our garage can become so cluttered that sometimes there is not enough space for the automobile we drive. Sound familiar? If not then you might be in the other half that keeps their garage as neat as a pin. If you are then you well know how hard it is to keep it that way.

Most homes built after the late 1930's have some kind of garage. Some may have only a one car garage, while most today are at least the two car size, with three car garages and up becoming the rule instead of the exception.

Home garages are used for all kinds of different things, such as work shops, a home business, storing things that will not fit in the home, and maybe even parking the car in if there is enough room left. Some times a garage can get so full some will construct a special garage just for their automobiles. One way to help with the clutter most of us have is with peg board. Peg board is very easy to install. Without drywall all one has to do is level and fasten to the studs with wood screws. With drywall you will want to leave at least a half inch space between the pegboard and the wall so there will be room for the hooks to fit through. Most often 2×4's are what is used for the walls in a garage, the only thing you will need to do is to be sure to locate the studs before fastening the peg board. Once everything is in place you will be amazed how much you can get off the floor and onto the wall. You will need some different accessories like hooks, different kinds of bins, baskets, and brackets, after awhile you will wonder how you ever got along without the peg board. It makes everything more readily available to you and if you can see it you will use it. You can even hang shelves on the peg board for storing other things like books, sports equipment, paint cans, or anything else. With peg board you are only limited by how much and what to hang onto the hooks and shelves. One other feature is if you move the peg board can go with you if you choose. Peg board is not a cure all for garage clutter, but it can be a great start in the right direction.

Another solution that might help is garage shelving. There are several ways to go about this, one is to install prefabricated shelving, the other is to build on site shelving yourself if you feel you can handle the job, if not you might want to hire it done. Either way wall shelving around your garage will help control the clutter most of us have. Prefabricated shelving can be found in most all of the home improvement centers where you live. There may be some assembly required with some of the larger shelving, but it is generally pretty straightforward.

What we're after here is to organize our garage. The things outlined here will be a start in the right direction. See the author resource box below for additional information and specials on garage organizer systems.