I need suggestions for organizing a messy garage.

Hi Nancy, Start with some totes, that you can catergoized in the garage. Example: all garden tools, one for tools, one for extension cords, and you can buy peg boards to hang on the wall. You put the brackets on to hang, a broom, shovel, rake, water hose, and whatever you need handy. Put names of things that are inside the totes, so you know which is which. Make sure you get the same gallon size, so you can stack them. The cost is about $8, for a 32 gallon. Buy just what you need, plan first what you need, and where it will go.. Good Luck!

Box it and label it! I have most of my items in boxes or plastic bins and have sections for holiday decor, party supplies, gardening tools, mini garden supplies, etc. Will just take some time to go through and sort and group like items together. Once done it can be a thing of beauty!

if you try to do it all at once, it gets overwhelming. start with a hand tool round up. coral them in a box and label. take a walk and get and get a tall ice tea. get another box, any thing toxic, poisonous, goes in there. think Easter egg hunt in your garage. get like item with like item. and label the boxes on all sides. once you get like with like, cop a squat in a shaded area.

inspect the containers. how much product is still good? check the dates. if good, stash in another box and label. if beyond usable dispose of properly. limit your self to an hour or so each day. it didn't get in the condition its in overnight, but you need time to get things sorted, to see how much storage shelves/ space you need.

if you have poisons in the garage, weed killers, ant baits, paint strippers, find a cabinet to lock them up. an old metal cooler can work if its lockable, and you don't have that many toxic substances. you don't want pets getting into those. yours or your neighbors, let alone kids.

once sorted out, you have a better idea of how much storage you need, and what type. my town has a spring and fall clean up days. my mom and I like to go picking...we have found file cabinets, kitchen cabinets. off cuts of wood and a few shelving units.

The trick is once you organize is to be sure to return articles to where they belong. Go through your stuff and put like objects together. Start with the big stuff first to get it out of the way.