Weekend DIY: Organize your garage

3. Use every available inch of space

Getting things off the floor means using every square inch of wall space, plus ceiling space wherever possible, such as storage space by installing overhead storage, shelving and cabinets to put stuff away. Like the ever-toppling Tupperware cupboard in my kitchen that empties onto the floor whenever I open the door, my garage is overflowing with falling rakes and shovels that I always seem to stumble over. Solution: install a peg board and hang these items on the wall or place them in a narrow barrel if you’ve got ample floor space.

4. Categorize your stuff

Don’t just fill drawers or you’ll slowly cram all the cabinets with junk again. You need to categorize based on type, season, frequency of use, and so on.

One simple solution is to label bins or cabinets so that you can easily grab, for example, electrical tape when you need to fix the lawnmower. Specify storage for particular jobs–electrical, plumbing, moving (ropes, bungee cords), painting to reduce redundancies and keep things at-the-ready. For general-use items–WD40, duct tape, wrenches and pliers, rags–don’t stow them away; rather, keep them together in a quick-to-grab spot.

Now that you’re mentally prepared, stop waiting for a rainy day–or worse, a scorcher in July when you should be relaxing–and turn your garage into a room with a view, or, at least a room you can walk around in.