Friday, January 20, 2012

Clear Your Clutter: Five Temporary Garage Organizers

I’m participating in the Clear Your Clutter Challenge because my garage workshop project is making nothing but clutter in the garage.

I know things will get worse before they get better but I need a temporary fix. I have a big fat bruise on my arm (OW!) when a couple of tool cases leapt from a shelf and cannon balled onto my arms and head during a I-swear-I-put-it-in-the-garage type search. 

A garage clean up and temporary reorganization should put the workshop project back on track. It is either that or post Beware of Falling Power Tools signs all over the garage. Oh, heck I still might.

I want to spend as little money as possible on this project because all of my organization and storage will change in a few months when I build the new garage storage system. My repurposed freebies may not be the prettiest but they are doing the job for now. 

 This is my working plan for final garage project.


1. Hanging Shelf Storage. To keep dangerous fluids off the floor and out of Pekingese reach, I store them in a hanging organizer attached to a set of storage shelves. As a green blogger, I suppose I should hang my head in shame that I even have this stuff in my garage. The reality is we need and have a car.  This stuff keeps it running.

2. Hanging Garden Tool Organizer. Husband is getting into gardening. The pockets store indoor and outdoor nontoxic EcoSmart ant killer, garden hand tools (all three of ‘em!), gardening gloves, and little extras that need a home.


3. Hanging Clamp Storage. To keep my clamps from wandering around the garage, I clamp them to a wall stud for storage. I’ll need to come up with something else after I insulate and drywall the garage.

It makes me look like a hard core DIYer, doesn't it?

4. Baby jar hardware storage. I use the empty baby food jars I have from baking Blitzkrieg dog treats to store extra screws, nails, washers, and fiddly bits. I have more jars and such than my toolbox will allow. I use both halves of a Styrofoam cheesecake cooler to organize the jars. I plan to store to this stuff in the drawers of my future workbench.


4. Small Recycling Storage. Not to be outdone in the classy shelf organizer department, a repurposed shoebox sits on the shelf above the screws for recycling. We use this box to collect old batteries, hard plastic bottle caps, makeup tubes, and burnt out CFLs. I can recycle these items through several local stores because our city recycling program does not accept them. 

Some people go to the mall to shop. I go to the mall to recycle.

5. Trash can recycling bin.  Our city recycling program takes #1-7 plastic, metal, glass, and paper. I have to drop everything off at a city dumpster. Fortunately, everything can go in the same bag. That being the case, I repurposed the kitchen trash can from our old place for recycling in our new place.


Here’s a little sneak peak of my workbench to be.  Father in Law gave me two kitchen cabinets he had in the bowels of his garage. These babies are in rough shape. I’m sure with a little DIY love they’ll be just fine.




For more Clear Your Clutter tips be sure to visit my fellow bloggers:

Monday, January 16, 2012
Mrs Greene – Organizing the Master Bedroom Closet

Tuesday, January 17, 2012
HomeMadeVille – Bathroom Organizing Tips

Wednesday, January 18, 2012
The Country Chic Cottage - Kitchen Organizing Tips

Thursday, January 19, 2012
Attempting Aloha – Kids Toys and the Playroom

Friday, January 20, 2012
Condo Blues – Organizing the Garage

Saturday, January 21, 2012
Mural Maker and More – Maximizing Storage Space


Make sure you visit our Pinterest board dedicated to clearing your clutter for more organization ideas!

Share the love, link up your organizing tips or your problem areas below!



Did you enjoy this post? Get more like it by subscribing to the Condo Blues RSS Feed or to Condo Blues by Email.

5 comments:

Lisa said...

This is not much of a comment but I had to say I loved your comment about going to the mall to recycle! I'm the same way! I go into the mall with more than I leave with. We don't live near one so I end up with a fair amount of stuff to take. I drop off makeup containers at Origins and bottle caps at Aveda. I will normally stop in William Sonoma, but I rarely get more than a bottle of lemon lime soda syrup. :)

Niki said...

I never thought to use pocket storage in the garage! I can't wait to see how the work bench turns out!!

Brenna @ Almost All The Truth said...

I love the idea about the pocket storage! Our garage is a terrible mess and much of it my recycling, gardening, and old stuff from when I had my shop. We keep wanting to organize, but that is not my thing unless I get inspiration - so thanks, now I have some ideas to pass on toe the husband!

Anonymous said...

I'm interested in what you'll use to hang the bikes. I have to store one in my condo bedroom. I've been toying around with a pulley system mounted in the ceiling. But now I'll have to wait and see what you come up with!

Garage Door Repair said...

Love this post! I've REALLY been needing to organize my garage. I keep putting it off for "next week" and it's been going on for months and months. Maybe I'll get out this weekend and start. It's definitely going to be a big job! lol.

Post a Comment

I love comments and read them all! If you’re shy and don’t want your opinions made public, you can always email me at condoblues [at] gmail [dot] com.