Organizing the Garage & Basement

Organizing the home can be a daunting task but the two most dreaded areas tend to be the basement and the garage. These areas collect clutter and lots of junk over time. The easiest way to start is buy some heavy duty large garbage bags and pitch things you don't use or need anymore.

After you throw away the things you don't use or need anymore you are ready to start organizing the things you are going to keep. It's a good idea to spend some money on some Rubbermaid containers or plastic containers that will protect your things from moisture, mildew and even little pests like mice, etc. While you are going through everything deciding whether to keep or throw things out, it's also a good time to clean the walls and floors before putting everything back.

Now it's time to sort things according to how often they are used. Seasonal items or baby items you are saving for a younger sibling can be put into labeled boxes and placed towards the back or the top of the storage areas.

Things that you use more often or will need to get to right away should be stored where you can easily acces them such as cabinets or open shelves. Another good idea would be to invest in a metal or plastic do-it-yourself storage unit. These are perfect for the basement or garage because they stand up to less than perfect conditions.

When storing things in the garage, it's best to store them based on when you need them. Try to make a system that will allow you to rotate seasonal items. If you would like to use an overhead storage unit make sure you check that it will work with your garage door before purchasing it.

If you have lots of clutter on your workbench and need to make room try using a pegboard to store tools. You can add hooks to the pegboard to fit the tools you want to arrange there. This will clear up space on your workbench.

If you have lots of nuts and bolts that are lying around and need to be organized a past time favorite organizational trick is to use old baby food jars. Hang a shelf on the wall, a thick shelf about one inch thick, one foot deep and two feet wide. You can poke a hold into the lid of the baby jars and affix them to the bottom of the board by using a short screw. Once you place your nuts and bolts into the jars, simply twist them into place under the shelf and you now have a couple extra feet of shelf space.