If you're like many homeowners, your attached garage may be a disorganized mess. Not only can this cause stress, but it can cost you money when you wind up buying duplicates of certain lawn, garden, and auto items because you can't locate the ones you've already purchased. Others may want to free up enough space to finally use the garage for its original purpose: parking a vehicle. Organizing your garage can seem overwhelming when you're starting with a mess that's taken years to create, but this doesn't need to be a time-consuming or complicated process. Read on for three steps you can take to transform your garage into a more streamlined, organized place. 

1: Decide What Storage You Need

There are a variety of garage storage products and designs, and it's a good idea to decide what storage will work for you before you begin cleaning out your garage. Some examples include: 

• Wall storage, through hooks, pegboards, or cage-type shelves installed on the wall;
• Ceiling storage for bicycles and lawn and garden implements; 
• Shelf storage with freestanding shelf racks; or  
• A custom storage system that combines several of these elements. 

2: Clean it Out

On a sunny day, open your garage doors and work on cleaning out all the trash and extra items so that you can get a better inventory of what you have (and what you need). By decluttering your garage of all the items you don't wish to keep (and identifying any extras you can sell or donate), you'll be in a better position to finalize your new organization options and find a place for everything you'd like to keep.

3: Install Your New Storage System

The final step is to purchase and install a storage system that can transform your garage from a catch-all for junk to a stress-free, organized place. Some storage systems are fairly simple and can be assembled and installed by just about anyone with a screwdriver and stud finder; others are more complicated and may require professional installation.

Once you've installed your new storage system, it's time to begin organizing the contents of your garage. By categorizing items and grouping them accordingly (for example, putting all lawn and garden items on one set of shelves and a car jack, extra motor oil and transmission fluid, and other auto-related products in a different part of the garage) it will be easier to keep your garage organized going forward. Contact a company like Cinti Closets LLC for assistance.