Garage Organization Part 1

Yes, I used the ‘O’ word that everyone dreads, O-R-G-A-N-I-Z-A-T-I-O-N.  My problem was simple yet complex.  I moved from a house that I had collected two of every tool where I kind of became a handyman Noah, to a rented townhome where all I had was the sides of the garages.  My side of the garage quickly became the stopping point for all leftover boxes.  I had to get organized.    

Reality is the garage is never as big as I want it to be.  My old garage was a big, one stall garage and it allowed me to store all of my tools.  The one thing it did not allow was my other vehicle to be in the garage.  Not a big deal at the time because my car was so old.  Having a one stall also meant when I was building anything both vehicles had to be outside the entire time.  Only had one problem when my car was broken into and DVD players were stolen.  I hope they went to a good home and they are enjoying our CD’s.

This is what I had to start with.  There is a mixture of cardboard boxes, plastic bins, tools, and other random items.  I was barely able to use any of the tools, let alone be able to find any of them.  Additionally, items that were once in the basement of the house have now made their way to the garage. 

One person told me that he was disappointed that he did not build his garage bigger.  He had a 3 stall garage.  He said that the garage was the cheapest per square foot and the best used space.  The reality is that you always have one more toy or tool too big for your garage.  If you are like me, I would take a free or reduced item over buying a new one that is half the size.

Ok, so now that we have the understanding that I should build a 45 stall garage next time money is not an issue, what do I do about my current situation?  I have a few ideas I have implemented that have made my garage space more organized and more items readily available.  I will spend the next few posts sharing what I have learned.