Eco-Friendly Organizing: Garage Makeover!
The Project: Garage decluttering and organizing for fall entertaining
Note: All photos included are of the garage post-transformation. I didn’t take “before” photos, so use your imagination!
When I was asked to do a quick consult for my beloved client’s (let’s call her Gertrude) garage at the end of her kitchen organizing session, I was ecstatic. We had already reorganized and improved the function of both her primary bedroom closet as well so I was truly thrilled to be invited back for more. (Plus I just adore her pups.)
As she walked me back to the space, Gertrude was insistent that the current state of her garage wasn’t going to cut it for a mid-September community party that was slated to be held there. Over time, racks had become over-filled and jumbled with multitudes of items- many of which were from her move 4 years prior. Some of those items included seasonal holiday decor, entertaining supplies, lots of pup care items that aren’t used too often, boxes filled with forgotten personal memories, tools, gardening things, and more.
Apologetically, she said that she estimated the total declutter and reorganization of her entire garage would take at least 4 weekends (since I only schedule sessions then) and that she’d make sure to break it up into manageable chunks for me on those days. I just smiled, knowing I wasn’t worried at all, and asked how soon we could start.
The Work: One garage rack at a time
Like most other decluttering projects, I pulled everything out of each shelf and categorized it for Gertrude to make decisions about. Yes- everything! Picture anything from a fall pumpkin decoration to a hummingbird feeder all grouped and laid out (in an organized way) on the garage floor. It was a great time!
I led her through the garage one category at a time so she could choose which items from each to throw away, recycle, or donate. During this process I happily listened to all the stories and memories attached to different items with Gertrude.
The Work: Using what was already available to pack!
Since this organizing project’s function is primarily for storage, after decluttering it was time to pack the items. Some clients are after a very visually cohesive finished garage aesthetic, but that was not what Gertrude was going for. Her goal was to purchase as few containers as possible in order to get the garage organized and have it function best for her. It’s a good thing I was a teacher in my previous career because I know how to be super resourceful and make it happen!
Packing was the ultimate puzzle challenge! There were many boxes to choose from, since all items had been unpacked, so it was trial and error to find the right fit for each category. In the end I got all the categories packed with only boxes that she already had. No new product was purchased, which I think is so amazing! The categories of items we found through the decluttering and consolidation process (that needed to be placed on the shelves) were: fall, Halloween, thanksgiving, Christmas interior, Christmas exterior, 4th of July, entertainment serving supplies, pup stuff, animals etc., personal memories, tools/paint supplies, and gift wrapping. I’m really thrilled to report that each category found it’s perfect home back on the shelves in their proper zones!
The Reveal: What I’m really proud of
At the beginning of this garage project it was hard to visualize exactly how the space would look at the end. Through decluttering and consolidation I found that some categories emerged that weren’t established originally. These included some larger outdoor entertaining items (folding chairs that were previously scattered, a large fire pit, and tub filled with outdoor toys) as well as gardening things! I asked questions and figured out how Gertrude used these items, which she used the most, etc. to get an idea of how the space needed to function.
I landed on creating a small gardening zone by the front of the garage so she could easily pull it out to use. In addition, I moved the chairs, rollable fire pit, and outdoor toys close to the serving zone of the garage, turning that area into more of a general entertaining zone! It really came together perfectly.
The Reveal: Wrapping it all up
It’s always nice when a client is happy with the end results of a project. It’s even better, though, when they are speechless! I think Gertrude was happy that I was able to complete her entire garage organization transformation in just a little over a weekend, instead of a month. I also don’t think she dared to dream that she could get out of her car and not be stressed out by seeing her things stored the way they were, let alone be able to hold parties there! But we made it happen!
In the end I think the transformation of the garage is simply amazing. We were able to take the space from a semi-random storage zone to an intentional, usable storage space that doesn’t create any stress, anxiety, or overwhelm. The garage can now host parties! Also, any decorations used for entertaining or the changing of the seasons can be easily accessed through clearly labeled boxes, zoned by categories on the shelves. This is exactly why I love what I do. It was a joy to take on this garage transformation.
