Are you ready for Father’s Day? It’s this Sunday, you know. He has every tool know to modern man… Ah! But does he know where they ARE?! If you have a few hours this week, what about giving him an organized garage?!

In general, the most effective way to organize a garage is to first, empty it out… Yep! Pull everything out, and stage it in the driveway. Then clean the garage, and put back ONLY what you really need in there.
First pass: get rid of all trash/garbage/unusable toxics (paint cans, oil cans, etc.), then wipe out cobwebs and sweep out the garage. Power wash the floor, if you have time. Take a look at what’s there, and sort into categories: large tools (summer and winter); garden tools; lawn equipment; sports equipment; workshop tools; and hoses.
If you don’t already have organizers in the garage, take a trip to Lowe’s or Home Depot, or view their websites, and check out solutions that might work for you, such as shelving, cabinets, pegboards and hooks. Come back home and re-envision your space. Where would a shelving unit work? Do you need more than one? Remember, keep like with like. Take necessary measurements and return to the home store for your purchases. Arrange the garage so you can easily park a car (or two) in there!
If you’re doing this for someone else, don’t micro-organize. Just get the general categories together. That’s the hard part. Let Dad or Mom have the pleasure of chalking the little shapes on the pegboard for the wrench and the hammer.

 
Photo Credit: Better Homes & Garden
 
About the Author: Judy DiForte is a professional organizer for The Betty Brigade, an Ann Arbor-based concierge company specializing in move coordination, organizing and event planning. Email her at [email protected], or leave a comment here.