By Huntsville Garage Shapeups Blog Guest Author:  Rick Dynek 
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Are you tired of having to walk through a messy and unorganized garage and wish you could get more valuable use out of it? There are a number of things that you can do to improve the cleanliness and usability of your garage. Here is a simple 7 step guide to garage organization that you can use to get back the great looking garage that you were once used to.

1. Clean it up.
The first thing you need to do is clean up the mess that you and you're family have created over the years. There are a number of things that you can do to clean up your garage including sweeping, dusting, moping, or any other type of cleaning activity that will help remove the dirt and grime that has built up for who knows how long. Garage organization will become much easier if you have a clean slate to work with.

2. Keep it, or dump it.
The hardest thing to do in most cases is decide whether or not you should keep something or throw it away. This is perhaps one of the reasons why garages, or any areas of the home for that matter, become so cluttered with possessions over time. Often times people have a hard time parting with things that they collect, so they resort to stashing them away somewhere in a corner until they can deal with them later.

If you want to be successful with garage organization, then one thing you have to force yourself to do is decide if are going to keep something or get rid of it. If you choose to only keep the things that you absolutely need, then you'll find that your organization goals will be much more achievable.

One thing you might consider before throwing something in the trash is whether or not it can be donated. Often times items can be donated so that someone else may use them. Old tools, car equipment, sporting goods equipment, yard tools, and more are great examples of things that can be donated to others. The best part is if you donate enough, you may be eligible to receive a tax credit for the items that you gave away.

3. Categorize
Once you have completed the process of sorting and sifting through the things that you need and don't need, then you'll want to categorize all of the remaining garage items so that you can organize them all in a manner that makes sense for your needs.
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You might consider categorizing everything by usage, so you might have categories such as hand tools, power tools, automotive equipment, yard work items, sporting equipment and outdoor gaming equipment, fishing gear, and more. Remember to organize the items in your garage in a manner that makes sense to you so you know exactly where to find a particular item when you need it.

​4. Choose your storage equipment
There are a number of options that you can choose from when it comes to storage needs. If you're looking to save a little money on storage, then you can build your own shelving out of wood, metal, or plastic. This option is more time consuming because it will take some commitment from you in order to build the shelving properly.

If you don't want to bother with building your own shelving, then you also have the option of purchasing pre-made or even custom made shelving from either a local home improvements store or online through a number of different retailers.

The storage equipment that you build or purchase should be flexible enough to allow for a number of different storage options. There should be shelving for larger items that you want to keep off of the ground, drawers for smaller items that need to be kept together, trays for hardware pieces, and cabinets with lockable doors for items that you want to restrict access to. All of these different storage options will help make your garage organization efforts much more feasible.

5. Organize
​When you've made the decision of which type of storage you are going with, organize and install it according to your particular garage layout. You should have some sort of conceptual plan for how you want your garage to look once you have everything in place, so your shelving, cabinets, drawers, and other storage facilities should be installed in a manner that will accommodate that plan.

6. Arrange for convenience
Perhaps the most important purpose of performing the task of garage organization is the purpose of adding convenience to your space. This means that you'll be able to quickly and easily access something when you need it, instead of having to sort through a mess to get what you need.

During this step you can address each item that you have decided to keep and position it in a spot close to similar items. This way when you need something in particular, you will at least know the general area that it will be in if you don't know the exact location. For instance, if you're looking for a power drill, then it will most likely be located where the rest of your tools are, perhaps near your work bench.

7. Review and reorganize. 
Garage organization is a critical process that you will want to go through if you don't want to have to deal with a cluttered mess all of the time. After you have completed the process, don't be afraid to take a glance over the space you have created for yourself to see if there is something that could be reorganized differently to provide even more convenience.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Rick_Dynek/790484Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5582204

By Huntsville Garage Shapeups Guest Author: Antoinette Ayana 

Your home is more enjoyable when you feel organized, and the same can be said about the space where you park your car. If you can't even park your vehicle in its appropriate location because you have too many tools, recreational equipment, and other belongings in the way, then it's time for a new storage method. You can make better use of your space and enjoy all the benefits your property has to offer.

Garage organization is one of the fastest growing segments in the massive home improvement industry, accounting for multi billions every year. And the closet industry companies have been installing cabinets in the garage for over twenty years. They closet companies were really the first industry to start to focus on organizing the garage. So who better to help with my garage organization than the closet companies, right? I can answer that question with another question, would you order Mexican food at a Chinese restaurant? Of course not. Then why would you have a closet company install closet cabinets in your garage? The obvious answer is to hire a company that focuses on the garage and builds cabinets designed for the garage...a garage organization company.
So allow me to elaborate on the benefits and differences between closet cabinets installed in the garage and custom cabinets designed specifically for the garage. And while there are exceptions to every rule, for the most part, the following information is true about most large franchise based closet organization companies. First, most closet companies install knockdown cabinets. (When you think of knockdown cabinets, think of buying your cabinets at Ikea and then having to assemble them yourself). This means they buy standard size cabinet pieces from the franchise mother ship, inventory the pieces at their shop and then build them at the customer's site. This is fine when your garage layout allows for standard, cookie cutter size cabinets; i.e. 7 feet high by 3 feet wide by 18 inches deep. However, if you want to have cabinets run the entire length of your 21 feet, 7 & 1/2" wall, and you want all the cabinets to be exactly the same width. Also, because of the garage door rail toward the front portion of the side wall, two of the cabinets will need to be 6" smaller in height. So now what? You can have the closet companies use their knock standard size cabinets and have almost 20" of wasted wall space and lose about 6 cubic feet of internal storage space. Or you can contract with a garage organization specialty company to have custom cabinets built 43 & 1/4" wide, with two of the cabinets 6 inches shorter. A perfect fit. Also, knockdown cabinets are assembled with cam and post screws, again think Ikea. Custom cabinets are built to order based on shape, size color designed. The cabinet box is permanently constructed with screws, nails and glue. So you don't have to worry about the boxes eventually coming apart or loosening with normal wear and tear and/or vibrations.,

Next what about the materials that the cabinets are made from? Most closet companies install cabinets made from 1/2" or 5/8" particle board. This is fine for cabinets installed inside the house, in a 75 degree climate controlled environment that holds shirts and sweaters. However that's not the garage.

The garage is normally the hottest and/or coldest area of the home, as there is normally does not have air conditioning or heating. Also, the garage has to deal with a lot of moisture in the air due to rainy conditions. Also, these cabinets will need to hold heavy paint cans, various tools and tool boxes, plumbing and electrical supplies, 50lb bags of lawn fertilizer and pool chemicals. Items you normally don't store in your bedroom closet. Custom cabinets built for the garage are normally built of 3/4" or 1" industrial grade melamine. These cabinets normally have full and solid backs and reinforced shelves that can hold around 100lbs per shelf. My point is that closet company cabinets are not designed to handle the heavy loads, varying weather conditions and the rugged conditions of the garage. Custom cabinets from a garage organizational company are designed specifically for the garage.

So if you are in the market for cabinets for your garage, consider hiring a company that specifically has cabinets for the garage, a garage organizational company. And if you need cabinets to hold some blouses, socks and ties, call a closet organization company. And if you want some good Mexican food, go to a Mexican restaurant.

About OrganizIT!: 

OrganizIT! Inc, is a Chatsworth based company that provides organizational products and services for the garage. Operating since May of 2006, OrganizIT! is one of the fastest growing garage organization companies in the Los Angeles area. OrganizIT! is a full service garage organization company that focuses on providing a high level of professional service. OrganizIT! carries products from the leading manufacturers in the garage organization industry such as; SwissTrax garage floor tiles, Tuffrax overhead garage racks, Schulte and Racor garage accessories and HandiWall slatwall.
For a free design consultation, go to; http://www.organizitco.com/

About Gus Gougas: Gus Gougas is presently an partner and president of OrganizIT!, a Chatsworth based business that provides products and services within the garage remodeling/organization industry. 
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After 20+ years in Corporate America in outside enterprise sale/marketing/management for companies like; Symantec, Unisys, Logica, Lanier, Gus started OrganizIT! Inc. Gus has appeared on TV programs about garage organization on NBC, HGTV and KCAL9. Gus published numberous articles on garage organization and has recently been featured in new book, "Big Book of Garages", by Tina Skinner. You can contact Gus at gus@organizitco.com or 818-232-7683.
Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Gus_Gougas/103551

By Huntsville Garage Shapeup's Guest Author: Kathryn Lively 

For some homeowners, the garage serves more as an office than a place to keep the car when it's not in use. Men, and even women, like to tinker with engines and work on projects with the door open to the summer sunshine. If you feel lately the contents of your garage are threatening to spill over into the yard and beyond, however, perhaps it's time to consider a professional touch. Yes, there are contractors that specialize in garage renovation who are ready to assist in optimizing this important part of the home. The reasons why you should invest in a garage makeover can save you sanity in the long run.

Safety First! An organized garage is a safe garage. When you hire a remodeling crew to install a new skid-free floor and wall racks without sharp hooks you minimize the opportunity for injury. You can also place dangerous tools out of reach of children and minimize the risk of loose wire and unsteady shelves causing heavy equipment to fall and hurt somebody.

There It Is! Wouldn't it be great to find that one Allen wrench you haven't seen in years? Re-organize your garage with new cabinetry, drawers, and rolling toolboxes and you'll never have to dig around unkempt piles of tools again. Doing this also gives you the opportunity to clear away what you don't need anymore, tools and junks that have taken up space and you hadn't realized it.

Increased Functionality! Once your garage is renovated, you'll find there's plenty of room to move around and work, even with your car parked. You'll be motivated to work on projects you didn't think you could finish without making a mess in the yard, and you may be more inclined to spend time outdoors instead of watching TV for hours on end. Increased functionality equals more activity.

If you haven't thought about calling a renovation consultant, ask today about your options for fixing up the garage. Make it more than just a place to store junk.
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Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on Virginia Beach garages [http://www.virginiagarages.com/] and Virginia Beach awnings [http://www.virginiaawnings.com/].Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Kathryn_Lively/19484Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4110579