Home and Garage Organization

[msnobody]

Do you guys have any favorite garage organization items that you like? Or, an area of your garage where your tools, yard tools, etc. are stored that you’re kind of proud of? What’s working well for you? What’s not working for you? Do you have 35 sets of needle nose pliers because you can’t find that last pair you bought, or the one before that?

I’ve been doing some home organization (pantry, kitchen/bathroom drawers, closet) which is an ongoing process. My favs so far are The Home Edit clear plastic bins sold at Walmart, and smaller clear bins for drawers sold at Pop Shelf. Basement/garage will be tackled at some point in the future.

You can take an organizing style quiz here https://clutterbug.me/.

I think I’m a bee, wanna bee cricket.

[Jersey Girl]

No! Don't do it msnobody! I'll dominate the thread and drive everyone up a wall. by the way, using vertical shelving free standing or up a wall is one of my favorite solutions.

Yours truly,
Ladybug

[Jersey Girl]

So...moving right along. I would advise anyone who wants to organize a space to declutter first and figure out storage after. I've seen plenty of ads for storage containers and shelving that say it's the perfect answer to declutter your space. That's a lie! All that's doing is selling their product and smashing your clutter in containers and on shelving.

Declutter first.
Storage next.

See? I'm doing it. I'll try to stop myself.

But I won't succeed.

[Marcus]

No! Don't do it msnobody! I'll dominate the thread and drive everyone up a wall. by the way, using vertical shelving free standing or up a wall is one of my favorite solutions.

Yours truly,
Ladybug

You mean not everyone has 8 ft bookcases up every single wall in their house? Say it isn't so!!!!

[High Spy]

Do you guys have any favorite garage organization items that you like? Or, an area of your garage where your tools, yard tools, etc. are stored that you’re kind of proud of? What’s working well for you? What’s not working for you? Do you have 35 sets of needle nose pliers because you can’t find that last pair you bought, or the one before that?

I’ve been doing some home organization (pantry, kitchen/bathroom drawers, closet) which is an ongoing process. My favs so far are The Home Edit clear plastic bins sold at Walmart, and smaller clear bins for drawers sold at Pop Shelf. Basement/garage will be tackled at some point in the future.

You can take an organizing style quiz here https://clutterbug.me/.

I think I’m a bee, wanna bee cricket.

I fill clear shopping bags and hang them on hangers. Small bags on kid hangers, and use heavy duty hangers for heavier stuff. Mount an extendable rod on the top of wired shelves with wheels, so the whole shelving unit can be moved. The best hangers are rubber coated or have notches to keep the bags from slipping off. I even mounted a pair of crutches way up high and use a folding step stool to ascend and access stuff that's easily viewable inside the clear bags with similar items grouped together.

[Gadianton]

Building high shelves is a great way to pack away stuff not used often and make room for things more often used. For my highest shelves that require a ladder, where I put things used the very least that aren't excessively heavy, I began keeping an inventory file on my computer of what's up there.

I shy away from things like pegboard. It looks kind of nice but it creates lots of unusable space.

Of course, number one is resist buying things that you aren't going to use, and be willing to toss out or sell things that aren't used. Don't overbuy paint, and take pictures of the paint code so that you don't need to keep a hundred cans of dried up gunk around.

I'm not anal at all, really, I'm forgetful and sloppy by nature, but I've been forced to make the most out of small spaces. That's mainly because my wife makes the least out of large spaces.

[Imwashingmypirate]

Haven't got a garage. Got a shed. It isn't full of tools though. I do have over a dozen paint cans though lol. But that's because Jamie QCs paint and gets a very nice discount on paint. I have the joy of struggling to find a wrench everytime I decide to move the bed and can't find it so borrow or buy a new one only to find the previous one somewhere I was sure I already checked lol. Hammer is currently on the kitchen windowsill... Not entirely sure why. Kids can't reach don't worry.

I do get a bit organised with toys. Have these plastic shelf things... https://amzn.eu/d/cOCyWU1
Then some fabric boxes and different toys in each. Then big white 70L tubs for board games and various toys. One is a weapons box, mainly containing NERF guns.

[Jersey Girl]

I shy away from things like pegboard. It looks kind of nice but it creates lots of unusable space.

I don't use pegboard for anything. I suppose it could work out in a garage for a smaller collection of tools. We have an ungodly amount of tools.

Don't overbuy paint, and take pictures of the paint code so that you don't need to keep a hundred cans of dried up gunk around.

For interior paint, you can also pull off the light switch cover in the room and write the paint code and color in there with a sharpie or stick in a little label. Or I guess you could cut up your paint chips and just keep what you used in a ziploc or catalog or whatever. I've seen that some folks keep just enough paint for touch up in a mason jar with lid. They label the jar with the information.
.

[Imwashingmypirate]

I shy away from things like pegboard. It looks kind of nice but it creates lots of unusable space.

I don't use pegboard for anything. I suppose it could work out in a garage for a smaller collection of tools. We have an ungodly amount of tools.

Don't overbuy paint, and take pictures of the paint code so that you don't need to keep a hundred cans of dried up gunk around.

For interior paint, you can also pull off the light switch cover in the room and write the paint code and color in there with a sharpie or stick in a little label. Or I guess you could cut up your paint chips and just keep what you used in a ziploc or catalog or whatever. I've seen that some folks keep just enough paint for touch up in a mason jar with lid. They label the jar with the information.
.

Keeping the codes isn't good enough. There is a relatively HUGE range that one product type is allowed to be out by before it is considered in need of a rework. And even then, the reliability of the final product is questionable. Basically you can buy two tins of the same paint that came out of the factory as little as 24 hours apart and they will most definitely be a different colour and a good chance that the difference is so noticeable that you can't do patch jobs with it. But in saying that, storing paint can even change the colour that's in the tin. But I suppose if you are going to do a full coat to freshen up that would be fine.

[Marcus]

Somewhat off topic, but it's the same with yarn. All skeins for a project have to be from the same thread dye 'batch,' which is printed on the label, below the color code. I have no idea how I know that, but when my son wanted me to make him something it kicked in. I suspect the knowledge is from my mom or grandma, may they rest in peace.