Don't Fall for a Messy Garage: 4 Tips for Preparing Your Garage for Seasonal Cleanup

BENTON HARBOR, Mich., Nov. 4, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- If the garage was cluttered before, it is about to get even more disorganized as the seasons change and homeowners begin storing outdoor furniture and gardening items in the garage.

From an organizational standpoint, the garage is already a trouble spot. In fact, according to a recent homeowner survey from Gladiator^® GarageWorks, a leader in garage organization and storage systems, the garage is so unorganized that about one-fourth of American homes can't even fit one car in the garage. And as the holidays approach, messy garages can be embarrassing for houseguests. Nearly one out of three homeowners are so embarrassed, they keep their garage door shut.

"Fall is a great time to reassess the garage and learn how to organize the clutter," said Karl Champley, master builder and home improvement TV/radio personality. "The garage can be the forgotten room of the home, but it can be such a useful resource for homeowners."

Champley recommends the following tips to help with garage organization this fall:

1. Have a Game Plan

The garage can be many different things to different homeowners, but the bottom line is to determine what purpose the garage needs to serve. While a majority of people use it for parking the car and household storage, the survey found that many people use their garage for hobbies and personal projects. Of those surveyed, 27% of people use the garage for hobbies, while others use it to work on cars (23%), do projects such as woodworking or carpentry (19%) or as an area for exercise or sports (13%).

Try dividing your garage into "zones" with specific areas for lawn and garden equipment, sporting goods, tools and other hobbies. Once a plan is established, it is much easier to begin the organization process. An easy-to-use online design tool is available at www.GladiatorGarageWorks.com that helps homeowners envision how their garage space can be organized. With starter kits, it is easy for homeowners to "start small" when organizing spaces, as they can easily help get items such as brooms and rakes off the ground.

Also, the new All-Season Gear Closet from Gladiator^® GarageWorks provides an easy way for homeowners to store hunting, fishing, skiing or other outdoor clothing and equipment. This all-metal, heavy-duty seasonal storage system can support up to 90 pounds of gear.

For getting bins and boxes off of the ground, the Gladiator® GearLoft™ Shelf provides an extra deep surface for storing larger items, while the see-through mesh design allows you to inspect stored items even when the shelf is mounted high on the wall. The dual-mounting shelf brackets can be installed in an upward or downward position for increased storage flexibility

2. Eliminate the Waste

Clutter is one of the biggest issues with garage organization. The survey found that one third of homeowners don't even know what is stored in their garage. Holding a garage sale or dropping off boxes of donated items to a community donation center are two great ways to recycle unused items. Homeowners should remember that disposing of old paint containers or automotive fluids should be done properly. The bottom line is to get as many unused items out of the garage as possible.

3. Maximize the Space

Three out of four homeowners surveyed said they wish their garage was better organized. One way is to have a garage storage solution that takes advantage of the wall space that garages provide.

"Getting items like boxes and bikes off of the garage floor with modular hooks and shelving is a big plus for homeowners," said Champley. "It frees up significant floor space for cars and other items."

4. Take Pride in the Garage

An ideal garage organization system grows with homeowners as they grow, while providing functional, flexible storage options for a number of different products.

"Some people take great pride in the brand of car they drive, the brand of lawnmower they ride or the tools they own, but may not put that same amount of pride into how they store those expensive items," said Champley. "You really want to make sure you take the same pride in garage storage as you do with the items you are storing."

With these four tips in mind – developing a game plan, taking pride in the garage, eliminating waste and maximizing space -- tackling a garage organization project should be much easier.

Additional organizational tips, ideas, and product solutions are available at www.GladiatorGarageWorks.com.  

About Gladiator^® GarageWorks

Gladiator^® GarageWorks by Whirlpool brand is a leader in garage organization and storage systems, delivering innovative solutions that allow homeowners to reclaim space in ways that suit their needs, lifestyles and design aesthetic. Gladiator brand offers pre-assembled and ready-to-assemble lines of modular workbenches, cabinets, wall systems, shelving, tool storage, appliances, starter kits and flooring. Gladiator brand products are sold through local garage dealers, retailers such as Sears and Lowe's, and at www.GladiatorGarageWorks.com.

SOURCE Gladiator GarageWorks

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