By Mary Lynne Murray
Reprinted from Contra Costa Times, April 13, 2002
Note: Today the Times introduces a new column on organizing by
Mary Lynne Murray, a professional declutterer based in Walnut
Creek. Her first target is the garage.
Have you given up parking in the garage? Or do you squeeze the
car in, with just enough room to open the door before a box falls
on your head? Consider the good things that happen when you can
park in the garage:
- Convenience in loading and unloading groceries, etc.
- The car and its contents are safer from thieves.
- The car stays cooler in the summer, less foggy/icy in the
winter, and its paint job is better preserved.
Originally designed to store cars, the garage often holds everything
but. Instead, it easily becomes a catch-all for sporting gear,
gardening tools, memorabilia, holiday decorations, recycling,
laundry items and more.
Here is a plan for organizing your garage so you can park in it
again.
Since everyone in the house uses the garage, all
should help organize it. (They'll also be able to retrieve items
since they know where they're stored.)
Set aside a full day for the makeover (some garages may take longer).
Give yourself a deadline by scheduling an extra pickup by the
garbage company (they do two, free of charge, per year, in most
areas).
Assemble your organization tools: large garbage bags, cardboard
boxes, pens to label boxes (or a snazzy label maker), packing
tape, a box cutter, rubber bands, bungee cords, dust rags, ladder
or step stool and a broom.
Pick a small area and start sorting there. As you sort, pitch
trash into a garbage bag. Put items to be repaired in a "repair"
box -- but only after you've considered getting rid of them first
(some charities accept items in need of repair). Put unused items
still in good condition in a "donation" box. Put anything
you're not sure about in a "not sure" box and reconsider
them later.
Now that you've pared back your garage contents, designate storage
areas. Place like with like, meaning all sports gear in one area,
all pool supplies in another, and so on. A bonus: This eliminates
duplicate purchases such as the three bags of fertilizer that
you found buried under the dog's old bed.
Store things closer to their point of use. Pool supplies or gardening
supplies are better located in a backyard shed, or at least to
the back of the garage.
At this point, and not before, consider buying containers since
you now know what sizes and how many you'll need. Clear containers
are especially helpful because you can see the contents, but always
label boxes and be specific -- instead of just "Taxes,"
for example, write "2001 Taxes."
Think vertical to stretch the confines of your garage. Wall space
above car level is waiting to be used. Walls alongside the cars
can be lined with floor-to-ceiling shelves or cabinets.
Think off the floor. Use heavy-duty wall or ceiling-mounted hooks
to store bikes, big tools, outdoor chairs and sports equipment.
This makes them easy to see.
Think horizontal. Install a loftlike platform near the ceiling
for off-season or rarely used items such as holiday decorations
or baby items.
Use pegboards to hang hammers, screwdrivers and other small tools
to which you need easy access.
Use what you have. If you are storing a dresser, store items
in the drawers. Likewise, an old table can serve as a workbench.
Now that it's tidy, maintain the garage with a few minutes of
daily clean-up. You might find you still need an annual reorganization,
but it will be far less painful.
Remember, the garage is subject to heat, cold, dampness, dirt,
dust and critters. Consider books, photos and anything precious
at risk in the garage. Plastic storage bins help keep things safer
and in good condition.
The garage is a prime place for ongoing, temporary storage of
incoming and outgoing items: library books, store returns, borrowed
gadgets, etc. At my home, the dryer top is the "staging area."
There, things are out of sight from the main house, but not out
of mind.
Install an automatic motion-sensing light in the garage -- a boon
when your hands are full. Also, keep an extra set of house keys
in a secret spot in the garage. And if the garage has windows,
keep valuables out of sight or close the blinds when you are away.
To prevent pulling in too far, or not far enough, mark the "perfectly
parked" point with either a hanging tennis ball that touches
the windshield when it's time to stop or by marking a wall where
it meets the side mirror.
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