There's no better feeling than figuring out how to organize your garage tools, equipment, and storage items in a beautifully displayed system. Whether you opt for storage panels, open shelves, or closed cabinets, a great garage organization system can turn a dark and dismal storage space into a gorgeous extension of your home—one that feels like much more than a garage.
That being said, there's one thing you'll need to do after you've finished freshening up your garage cabinets and shelves: Make an inventory of everything you've got.
All right, all right. We know this sounds a little over the top. But we're here to make a serious case for why it's in your best interest to take on the task.
Why Should You Keep an Inventory of What's in Your Garage?
So why should you keep an inventory of what's in your garage? And how can you organize your garage to make the task easier?
Well, we're glad you asked. Here are some of the top reasons you should tackle the job ASAP.
1. Prepare for a Disaster
Most importantly, an inventory will help immensely with an insurance settlement, should disaster strike your home. Fire, tornados, hurricanes and floods can all do a lot of damage to your home and your possessions, and try as they might, insurance agencies can't always piece together everything you had inside.
Your garage is a particularly difficult room to replace, what with all the major appliances and tools you keep in it. Taking a thorough inventory of it will make sure you're able to replace as much of it as possible.
2. Help Manage Your Budget by Knowing What You Have
Have you ever gone to the grocery store and loaded up on bags of potato chips and cereal—only to realize your pantry is already overloaded with the same foods?
This dilemma may not put a big dent in your wallet when it comes to groceries, but if you're buying duplicate power tools or lawn mowers, then that's something to be concerned about. Make sure you know what you have (and where to find it) by taking inventory and following our organizing your garage tips.
3. Streamline Belongings Across Multiple Homes, Storage Units, or Sheds
If you have a storage unit, shed, cabin, beach house—well, we're definitely jealous. We also know this can cause even more disorganization when it comes to belongings in your garage. (There has to be some downside to the good life.)
You may often find yourself wondering if your shovel is in the shed or at the cabin, or if your bike pump is in the house or the storage unit, etc. Creating a documented list of inventory will let you know just where everything is. You can even go the extra mile and track serial numbers on your more expensive items—which could help recover or replace your items if they're ever stolen or damaged.
4. Prepare for Yard Sales
Ah, the good ol' yard sale. There comes a time in life when you realize your garage is bursting at the seams, and it's time to make one man's trash another man's treasure. But you may not know where to begin—or even know what you have that you want to sell.
Kick off the yard sale process by taking inventory of what you have, then organizing your belongings into four piles, according to what you want to sell, donate, recycle, or keep.
5. Prepare for an Estate Sale
Estate planning is never really fun to think about, but sooner you start, the less overwhelming it will be. Having a detailed list of your garage belongings will help you and your family members prepare for that day when it's time for an estate sale.
7 Steps on How to Clean, Organize, and Declutter Your Garage
Whether you're motivated by estate planning, insurance settlements, or preparing for a yard sale, there are dozens of reasons to organize the garage.
Ready to seize the day? Here's how to clean and organize your garage so you can make an inventory list:
1. Set Aside Time
The first thing you need to realize about this project is that it is not a quick afternoon activity. To create a garage inventory list, you're going to need to set aside time. A serious chunk of time. This might take a full Saturday, a weekend, or even several weeks (in small segments) to tackle the job. Invite the family to join in, because you'll be here for a while. (But trust us—it will be worth it!)
2. Create Piles for Better Organization
The great thing about making a garage inventory list is that it will force you to get organized. If you've been wondering when you'll ever declutter the garage, well—the time has arrived. Create piles so that you know exactly where everything will go once you're done with the project: piles to keep, donate, recycle, or throw away.
3. Sort Your Belongings into Categories
At this point, you've gotten rid of everything you don't want to keep. Ahhhhh. Don't you feel lighter already? But now it's almost time to put it all back. (That good feeling only lasted a few seconds, we know.) Make the process easier by sorting your belongings into broad categories. Thinking sporting equipment, gym gear, Christmas decor, etc.
4. Draft a Floor Plan of Your Garage
Things are about to get real. Drafting a floor plan of your garage will allow you to envision where you want to put everything, without having to lug items back and forth across the garage. Because there's nothing worse than moving all of the power tools to one area, only to realize they'd be better off on the other side of the garage.
5. Put Everything Away
Now it's time to put everything away—all while taking inventory of what you're keeping and where you're putting it. Breathe in, breathe out. It's going to feel amazing when it's all over. As you store away your belongings, make the most of your space by using storage cabinets, storage wall shelves, and other accessories like wall hooks and storage bins. And don't forget to utilize overhead space! Here are some tips about what to record as you put everything away:
- Write a description of the items to help you remember important facts about it for the future.
- Save receipts in a folder.
- Write down serial numbers.
- Include details about the condition of the items.
- Estimate the value of the items.
6. Create a Spreadsheet
Once you've compiled your list, you'll want to put it into spreadsheet form on your computer—somewhere in the cloud where it can't get destroyed, preferably. Some insurance companies will even provide you with a spreadsheet so that you don't gloss over anything important.
7. Categorize Your Spreadsheet
After you've listed everything somewhere safe, it's time to segment it into categories. Every person's list of categories will vary based on what they own, but here are a few good examples:
- Major appliances
- Utility
- Power tools
- Sports equipment
- Gardening supplies
After you give each item a category, you should include its brand, purchase date, model/serial number, value and whether you purchased it yourself of got it as a gift. (For some reason, this last category is important.) If disaster were to strike in the future, you'd be well on your way to reclaiming your stuff!
Happy Organizing!
We're crossing your fingers you never have to worry about a natural disaster or theft of your belongings. In any case, it's great to be prepared. And if all goes well? Your completed inventory list is still a great way to sort through and organize all your belongings.
Look over your finished list and ask yourself: How much stuff do you have, and how much do you need? What can you get rid of? Toss anything you have too many of or haven't used in a while, and take notes of holes, and you can fill. Simply seeing how much stuff you own on paper can be telling.
And there you have it! We won't lie, taking inventory of your possessions isn't exactly fun per se, but you'll be glad you did it. Even if you never need it, you'll have one organized garage.
