How to Successfully Organize a Compact Garage
Whole House Organization Challenge: Week 2
Even as I read the title of this blog post, I can't help but think it to be a bit presumptuous. You see, earlier in the week, in this post, I confessed that I've never owned a garage. Nor have I ever organized one. Considering that, who's to say that my first attempt at it will actually be successful? A girl can hope though, right?
This is the vulnerable side that many interior bloggers, stylists and designers rarely like to show. But I'd rather not live my life pretending to be perfect. Who needs that kinda pressure anyway?
"Nothin' beats a failure but a try" is what my Mom always says. So here is my "try" - my plan of action to organize this teeny weeny garage.
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This compact garage comes with its own list of challenges. Everything about it is tight. I'm surprised that the owner's have not yet ripped the mirrors off of the car doors when pulling into it. Yikes!
There's even a science to getting out of the car. Passengers on the right side must exit the vehicle before the driver pulls into the garage. Not doing so could mean dings, chips and cracks to the vehicle's doors as they whack the concrete walls. Additionally, there isn't much space for seasonal tools and yard care items.
Here's how I plan to successfully tackle these and other problems. As a reminder, the photo below shows what I'm working with.
Drawing Out My Garage Organization Plan
I know it looks awful, but it's actually not that bad. My first inclination was to take advantage of the tall ceilings by storing items above the vehicle on a remote controlled lifter. But with two rambunctious boys, and a Dad who protects his car like one would a baby, I decided that the potential for a future disaster just wasn't worth it.
The three items linked above should address safety and spatial problems. I am a bit concerned about the lawn mower tower though. Amazon is the only place I've seen it sold, and I'm not sure how sturdy it will be. The last thing I want is for it to tilt over. If I'm unable to locate something else, I guess I'll have to build my own solution. Aye!
The black stripe you see on the wall is actually foam adhered to the wall that is designed to protect the car doors against dings and scratches should they come into contact with the wall. Have you ever stumbled across a product and asked yourself, "Why didn't I invent that?"
To the right of this existing work cabinet is a massive heater that leads into the home. I'll be touching that up with a bit of silver Rust-Oleum paint. Then I'll give the cabinet a fresh coat of paint and group items according to likeness and store them together. Why, some one would paint a garage cabinet white (which will shoe grease and grime) I'll never know. I'll see if I can convince these new homeowner's to go with another color.
I've already listed what's currently there on my WHO Worksheet, so I don't have to guess. Even with this handy guide though SOMETHING is bound to change. Still, it's nice to have it so that everyone knows the goal.
The goal is to find storage solutions that won't require the homeowners to move the car every time they need to access something. Wall storage for outdoor utensils seemed like a better option than a freestanding storage rack.
I'm starting to feel a little better about this project now that I have some sort of plan. We'll see how it all comes together this weekend. But for now I'd really like to get your thoughts:
- Are you organizing your garage too?
- Do you think these are practical solutions for this garage?