Can Your Car Fit In Your Garage?

The U.S. Department of Energy reports that 25 percent of people with two-car garages don‟t park any cars in their garages.

If your garage holds everything except for your car or if you can’t find an item when you need it, now is the perfect time to organize your garage! The National Association of Professional Organizers, Southeast Michigan Chapter (NAPO-MI) wants to share some tips to help you organize your garage.

1. Think about what activities happen in or near your garage. How do you want to use your garage?

2. Plan task-specific zones in the garage accordingly. Store related items in each zone.

3. Hang shelves on walls to free up floor space.

4. Use a plastic shoe box to store similar items or to store small parts for each power tool. Be sure to label the containers.

5. Maximize corner space by placing a triangular shelving unit or gardening tool caddy in the corner.

6. Hang pegboard to keep hand tools, hoses and extension cords visible.

7. Use vertical space whenever possible. Use tall shelving units with adjustable shelves to increase storage capacity. Rafter space is often overlooked for storage in garages.

8. Hang L-shaped or U-shaped utility hooks at top of wall studs to hang seasonal items like ladders and seed spreaders.

9. Keep toxic substances like pesticides behind locked doors so they are out of reach of children and pets.

10. Keep a fire extinguisher and first aid kit handy in case of an emergency.


Once you’ve organized your garage, it’s important to “remember one simple rule: whatever you get out ~ you have to put away. This not only applies to parking the vehicles in the same place every day, but it also applies to bikes, sports equipment, yard tools and machinery,” says Kathy Tucker, Chapter member and Director of Membership.

Organizing your garage is much easier than you think! For more organizing tips, visit www.NapoMichigan.com.

Article submitted by Cindy Greenleaf, Chapter member and professional development committee member.