Moving is a great time to get your new garage set up and organized. It’s also a good time to declutter and sell or give a way items you are no longer using. The following tips will help you make the most of your garage space whether you are moving or if you are looking for ideas to get your garage organized:

Organize the Garage Into Zones

Many pros recommend organizing the garage into zones, just like you see in a store. Group items together i.e. tools, sports equipment, holiday decorations, car supplies & garden. Start with the basic zones then add more as you need them. Go through the garage items, boxes and bins and start sorting. This will give you an idea of how much space each zone will take up and what kind of shelving, cabinets, hooks and rails you will need.

Do a Floor Layout

This is important as you need to know where the doors, windows and electrical outlets are to make sure any new cabinets or shelving do not cover them. If you plan to park a vehicle in the garage plan out how much space you will need around the vehicle to get in and out.

Bulky items like the lawnmower should go in a corner so they will not get bumped by the vehicle. Plan to put rarely used items in the hardest to reach places and keep the items that you use on a regular basis in easy reach.

Take Advantage of the Ceiling

Hang bicycles, kayaks and canoes. Put up strapping to hold large pieces of wood or siding.

Keep Things Off the Garage Floor

As much as possible, try to keep items off the garage floor. That’s where shelving, cabinets , pegboards, rail systems and hooks come into play. This will help keep the garage organized on an on-going basis. Consider putting up a loft shelf if there is room as this is a great place to store out of season or rarely used items and it will get them off the floor.

If your garage floor is not in great shape consider putting on an epoxy coating or purchase a black rubber floor that is made for the garage. This will keep the dust and dirt down to a minimum and make it easier to clean.

Items Not to Store in the Garage unless its heated and air conditioned:

  • Propane tanks – store them outside
  • Out of season coats or blankets – raccoons, skunks and mice look for a soft clean nest
  • Paper products – mice love to build their nests out of these items
  • Pet food or bird seed – makes it a haven for vermin
  • Temperature sensitive Items – alcohol, paint and solvents
  • Canned food – will go bad in the heat and freeze in the winter
  • Refrigerator or freezer – as the heat rises your fridge/freezer has to work harder and your hydro bill will go up

For more moving tips or to get a quote on your move, contact Premiere Van Lines.at 1-877-671-6683.