Home Organizing & Cleaning Tips, Hints

 How do you start when everything is such a mess and clutter is everywhere? Organizing and cleaning a garage is a huge chore, but if there is any area of your home that will show you instant success, it is this area. Organized storage areas, things where you can find them immediately, a floor that is clean and you aren't tripping over something every two steps that you take, can become a dream come true. This checklist will help to guide you through:

Start

1. Clean everything out of the garage
2. Put all 'like' things together. Hand tools with hand tools, electric tools with electric, all parts with the right tool, automotive supplies with automotive etc.
3. Throw out, donate or give away, everything that you are not going to use any more. Getting rid of the clutter, will give you more space and you will know that everything that is left are items that are actually going to be used.

Take a break and decide how much space you are going to need for each 'category' of items. What you will use for storage, whether it is a shelf, box, hooks for on the wall or some other storage container.

Clean

1. Clean up and wipe off all tools, shelves, work tops, bottles and cans with a towel or
     piece of paper toweling.

2. Brush down all of the cobwebs and clean the windows
3. Sweep the floor

Storage
     1. Put up all shelving that you are adding
     2. Label all boxes that you are using for storage.
               Paper or Plastic Boxes-use an index card and write with a magic marker what

you are storing in the container.
   Tool Boxes- works great for storing electric tools in; along with a set of the
                         tools used for this item.

     3. Hang all hooks and make sure that you anchor them, it will save a lot of
         frustration when taking them off of the wall. Start with the smaller ones for hand
         tools and then progress to the larger items that you will hang.
     4. Don't forget to look at the ceiling for extra storage space. This can be used for
         storing wood, hanging shelves, hanging bikes and kids toys or storing cushions for
         outdoor lawn furniture.

Organize
     1. Now it is time to organize your garage. Hang and store all like items together.

     2. Keep tools that you use most often in the key positions for easy retrieval.
     3. Put things that you use the least often, in higher storage areas.

     4. Don't forget to add a broom, dustpan and garbage can to you garage and workshop
         areas.

     5. Make sure that you have all floor tools, on locking roller organizers, so they move
         easily.

You have now cleaned and organized your garage, added additional storage space and achieved organization in your garage, tool area and workshop.