My husband is a contractor.
This means that my garage has become the home of many tools, equipment, and materials.
My husband has done an amazing job of organizing our garage the best way he can. But at some point, we have come to the realization that we just need to do something about the situation that looks as if it is out of control when in fact it really is not.
The real problem is that we just have way too much stuff stored in our garage.
All of the regular things you would expect to find in a homeowners garage have been given very little attention because of the fact that we have large air compressors, table saws, drill presses, concrete mixers, ladders, kerosene heaters, and the list goes on and on.
There is no longer any room for my yard tools, lawnmower, snow blower, gardening supplies, or any other regular garage stuff.
I am so excited to get working on this project.
However, I realize that it is a big project and I want to avoid burning myself out. Therefore, I will be tackling this project in stages.
The first step is to create a space for my yard tools, lawnmower, and other gardening supplies.
I think the best thing we can do is remove all of this stuff from the garage and give it it’s own home.
Rubbermaid has some really great sheds.
They come in a variety of sizes and shapes to suit every yard and need. Also, they are attractive and heavy-duty so they will actually enhance the look of your yard and stand up well against elements.
We will add some shelving and other organizational products from Rubbermaid to make the best use of the space. It will be my own space. I have never really had a space of my own sharing a contractor’s garage.
Once I have the shed in place, filled and organized with my stuff I will move on to my husband’s area.
There are a lot of things that will have to remain the same just because he knows how he needs to function in his work area.
But I hope to add better storage options for him as well as an area for my son to keep his toys that aren’t this box!
I am really looking forward to this project, and I’ll be sure to share my progress with you.
Also, we are lucky enough to have Rubbermaid employee/ organizational expert @RubbermaidErin following along and giving advice to people in the comments whenever she can.
So don’t be shy =)
**Although the products for this review will be supplied to me free of charge from Rubbermaid, all opinions expressed are solely mine.
Nina Say says
WOW I wish I could do this with my whole house LOL! I need organizing terribly bad!
I cannot wait to see pictures of the finished project. But you are right, do not burn yourself out… take it at good pace and when it is done, step back and marvel in all the glory that is your garage mixed with rubbermaid!
Congrats!
.-= Nina Say´s last blog ..Flat Iron Experts Review and Giveaway =-.
Karen of 3G2S says
I can’t wait to see the final results! I wonder if I can apply some of this to my husband’s workshop in the basement? We don’t have a garage.
.-= Karen of 3G2S´s last blog ..Lands’ End Way To Grow Contest & Twitter Party! =-.
Sharon @ My Musings and Stuff! says
I can’t wait to see what you guys do to your garage, I am in the same boat and could use the tips and advice for my own garage and my bedroom closet (it is downright scary).
.-= Sharon @ My Musings and Stuff!´s last blog ..Ready for a Date Night? =-.
Brandy says
Oh wow how neat! I REALLY could use help with storage lol we have so much stuff around our little “room” that I just don’t know what to do with it all and get overwhelmed lol.
.-= Brandy´s last blog ..Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel =-.
RubbermaidErin says
Brandy,
It is so easy to get overwhelmed! Believe me, I have been there.
The thing to remember is it does not have to be perfect! Start small and you’ll be able to do it.
Also give yourself some motivation…like inviting people over or doing the organization project with a friend and then going over to the friend’s house and organizing something there!
Stacie @ The Divine Miss Mommy says
What a great opportunity for your family. I desperately need to do this to our garage area so I am excited to watch your progress.
.-= Stacie @ The Divine Miss Mommy´s last blog ..Nowali Moccasins – Review & Giveaway =-.
Sarah says
That’s really awesome. Your garage reminds me of my parents. with all my dads construction tools. We used to joke he needed a separte house for is. We love rubbermaid storage.
Dee@ Cocktails With Mom says
We have or I should say had a CAR garage but my husband has taken it over as his room. He is a neat freak and keeps it well organized in there but the things normal folks would store in a garage, I have to find elsewhere to store them. So although I don’t have an organization issue in my garage my can use some pointers for othe places inside the house i.e. boys room and closets.
.-= Dee@ Cocktails With Mom´s last blog ..Covermate Food Covers =-.
Lee says
I have a 2 car garage and can’t fit even one car inside. It seems like everything is in a tub, but those tubs take up space! Erin, what other options do we have, especially when we don’t have the time to actually go through things the proper way.
Lee 🙂
.-= Lee´s last blog ..Sssssss! Welcome Home! Only In Florida! Ssssssss! =-.
RubbermaidErin says
Hi Lee,
First, there really is no short cut for organization. But once you get in the grove it makes things easier. Or maybe you can break the project up like go through one bin per day.
It also seems like you have waaay too much stuff. Are you actually using all this? If not, get rid of it. Donate it and take a tax credit or sell it and make some money.
Sorry, there really is no short cut to organization!
Good luck,
Erin
Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy says
That is awesome! Rubbermaid products are a must around here.
.-= Crystal @ Simply Being Mommy´s last blog ..Pledge for Better Health + $20 Gift Card Giveaway =-.
Kasandria says
Can’t wait to see the turnout! I’m super excited for you.
We really need to do something about our garage so I’m looking to see how much a difference it makes as well.
Kas
.-= Kasandria´s last blog ..Review and ***Giveaway*** Thomas & Friends™: Thomas & The Runaway Kite DVD =-.
lisa p says
that is soo cool! My laundry room needs this kind of help!
Deal-ectible Mom says
Wow so awesome! I heart Rubbermaid stuff! Can’t wait to see the end result for some great ideas!
Erin says
What a great idea! I need to organize my teeny garage – I can’t wait to see the final result for you.
Shawn Ann @ Shawn Ann's World says
WOW! So lucky 😀 We just moved into our home and we are in desperate need of some storage things for our garage. It is amazing that the previous owners went 50 years in the home and never put up any shelves or anything in their garage!
We don’t have as much stuff in our garage as you do, but we do need some help.
I’d love to know the best products for storing gardening tools, bags of fertilizer, grass seeds, bird seeds, etc., to ensure that the no critters can get into them and also to ensure that the tools do not get condensation buildup on them and rust?
.-= Shawn Ann @ Shawn Ann’s World´s last blog ..Home Depot – Home Improver Club =-.
RubbermaidErin says
Hi Shawn Ann,
If you keep gardening tools inside and clean, rust should not be much of a problem, but then again I’m not an expert on rust 🙂
For long handled gardening tools, check out our tool towers.
For smaller items, use shelves with hooks or just have open bins to put the tools in.
To insure that critters do not get into the seeds, store them in cabinets or on upper shelving.
Hope that helps!
This Mom Erin says
What a great opportunity! Our two car garage is overwhelmed with everything from gym equipment to baby supplies (and our baby is 4!) I just wish I oculd motivate myself to get it cleaned out. I would love to use it for a photo studio. Well, someday.
Kimberly says
Wow! That’s awesome that you’ll be able to organize your garage. We don’t have a garage but I suspect if we did ours would look a lot like yours.
We do have a VERY tiny storage room in the basement of our condo building. We have next to no room for all our stuff. We try and organize it as best we can but lack of space is a huge problem.
We have two tiny closets (bathroom/hallway) and a closet in the master bedroom that has to be share with four people (me, my husband and two kids).
My question to Erin is “How do you organize extemely small areas of your home?” Most especially a bedroom closet and a tiny storage area.
We have been trying to organize for years and haven’t much luck so I am open to suggestions/advice.
GREAT post by the way. I can’t wait to see the end result. 🙂
.-= Kimberly´s last blog ..Fun Family Entertainment from the Jim Henson Company =-.
RubbermaidErin says
Hi Kimberly,
The first thing to do is really look and let go of things that you do not need. If you haven’t used or worn it in the last 6 months to a year, do you really need it?
For closets, look at our HomeFree or Configurations line. These are adjustable and have lots of add on’s so you can customize your space. Think up in closets if you can. Add shelving high up to put out of season clothing and other seasonal items.
Also think about spaces you can use to store things that aren’t traditional. Lauren (a coworker) and I have both used under bed storage for bed sheets and towels. This might clear up the bathroom closet for some clothes to be stored.
Also, do the seasonal switch-out. Put away your sweaters when it is summer and tank tops when it is winter. This should help with the closet!
Hope that helps!
Brittany says
Oh how awesome. My garage is in serious need of a makeover. I have so much stuff and NO place to put it. We have one thing of small shelves and that’s it. I think the only thing that would be the hardest is I have nails, screws, (little things) like that and no idea what to do with them! Any tips?
.-= Brittany´s last blog ..Jolene By Ray LaMontagne =-.
RubbermaidErin says
Hi Brittany,
For little items like nails, screws, etc. use old food storage containers that are clear to organize them. Have one for nails, one for one size screw, another for other sized screws. It really is helpful and a cheaper way to organize these small items. Peg board is also a great thing to use for organizing small tools (screwdrivers, hammers, etc.). Hang it up and add hooks!
Hope this helps,
Erin
Jessica @ Riding with Jessica says
This is awesome. The chance to organize the garage is a dream come true for anyone. Our garage serves several purposes. It is the laundry room, exercise equipment room, bike and yard tool room, and storage. I only wish to one day park in the garage. We got it cleaned out once. But it is worse now than when we started. We could not even park our cars in the garage when hurricane Ike came thru leaving scratches all over my car from everything flying around and tree branches.
Good luck on your journey.
.-= Jessica @ Riding with Jessica´s last blog ..Favorite Blogs- What Are Yours =-.
Mikki says
That’s great! So glad you have the opportunity to do all this! Can’t wait to see how it all comes about!
.-= Mikki´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday =-.
Shannon says
Our garage is a storage shed. No cars fit! It’s a MESS! I am going to follow your progress. I am not good at organizing and can use all the tips I can get.
Rachel says
What a FANTASTIC opportunity — we have a two car garage but it is FULL of my husband’s tools and everything we don’t want to store in the house. I can’t WAIT to see your after pics. 🙂
.-= Rachel´s last blog ..Mamavation Monday – I’m a FINALIST! =-.
Kristie says
Rachel, so you totally understand what I’m dealing with here!
trisha says
My DH is so gonna love this post! Our garage is insane. In a bad way! I cant wait to see the results!
trisha
.-= trisha´s last blog ..Franky and Daisy Girls swimsuits =-.
Kristie says
It can get out of hand so easily!
Tenille says
I can’t wait to see the result. I agree that it helps to tackle big projects like that in stages because otherwise it just looks far too overwhelming!
hairstyles for girls says
Can’t wait to see the finished project! We’ve been thinking about getting a shed for awhile because our garage is a disaster!! For some reason we just have a huge problem keeping everything organized in there. I’ll be checking back to see how things are going. Good luck!
.-= hairstyles for girls´s last blog ..Baptism Hairstyle Challenge =-.
Robin says
Your garage already looks better than mine. We have 3 bays which are all pretty much full. I can’t wait to see how this turns out.
.-= Robin´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday: Bad Bangs =-.
Frantic Holly says
Looks like you have tons of work to do but I’m sure Rubbermaid can help. we have one of their deck boxes for the kids outside toys and another one for our lawn equipment. I would love to know Erin’s thoughts on storing toys inside. We seem to have been overrun by them.
.-= Frantic Holly´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday =-.
RubbermaidErin says
It depends on what type of kid’s toys you are talking about. The FastTrack system has great baskets for smaller items that kids can just throw items into. It also has a ball rack for balls (obviously!). Bikes are the hardest things to store. Hooks are great if your children are older and can unhook them themself. Otherwise you’ll be doing it a lot.
Get rid of the toys they do not use often. Don’t keep the clutter!
Stacey @ Not Just Baby Brain says
What excellent timing – my husband just picked up that exact shed for us last week! I’m really looking forward to seeing how you organize it so that I can borrow some ideas 🙂
@RubbermaidErin – can you tell me where in Canada we can find the shelving for the Big Max sheds? We aren’t having any luck finding them.
RubbermaidErin says
Hi Stacey,
There is not specific shelving for the Big Max. Use the wall anchors to install any type of shelving. See this sheet for more information (http://www.rubbermaid.com/Assets/Pdf/Shed-accessories-letter.pdf)
Thanks,
Erin
Lisa @ Crazy Adventures in Parenting says
I am in desperate need of help, too. We went from having a one-car garaged home back at Fort Bragg, NC to a piddly shed in this military home, here. Not to mention losing 300 square feet in home space, too. Tiny bedrooms, even tinier closets. Thank goodness for our yard sale, but I need help maximizing our small storage spaces for our holiday stuff as well as out-of-season clothing items.
Also, considering I own a great deal of Rubbermaid storage bins for out-of-season & different sized clothes for my 6 kids, they’re stacked one on top of another. Is there a better way to do it? To give you an idea, this is the closet we’re currently using for storing the kids’ clothes. It has twice as many totes now than it did then.
.-= Lisa @ Crazy Adventures in Parenting´s last blog ..30 Day Shred Results =-.
Kristie says
I feel your pains of living in a smaller space. Organization is an absolute must! I live i a 1200 square foot home and I’m always looking for new ways to make the best use of my space.
RubbermaidErin says
Stacking is the best way to take advantage of the space. I would ask if you really need all of these clothes or could sell some. Kids grow so fast…
Also think about under the bed containers that might move some of these out of the closet for more hanging room!
Allison says
We are in desperate need of organization around here so I am excited to follow you through the process. We don’t have a garage (thank goodness…or it would be a mess) but I’m always on the lookout for great organizational tips and tools because we desperately need them here!
.-= Allison ´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday…Kisses =-.
Tammy says
We have the Fast Track System (well a little bit of it), in our garage and we love it. It makes such a difference because everything is off the floor and accessible, it looks nice too, which is a plus. Can’t wait to see your garage when it’s all done.
.-= Tammy´s last blog ..Nature’s Path Granola Bar Giveaway =-.
RubbermaidErin says
I’m so glad you are happy with your FastTrack System! Nothing better than a real customer who is satisfied 🙂
Virginia from Lady V dZine says
Do they do whole homes? LOL. Cause my house could use an overhaul of organization. I can’t wait to see the progress in your home, perhaps get some mojo to tackle mine.
.-= Virginia from Lady V dZine´s last blog ..EtsyMom Spring Gift Guide =-.
Rhea says
How very cool! Unfortunately, I don’t have a garage…does Rubbermaid have anyone who can help me with my “catch all” bedroom? LOL
.-= Rhea´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday ~ Temper Temper =-.
Cat @ 3 Kids and Us says
Wow, you have a lot of work ahead of you but I can’t wait to see how it progresses. I figure if you can tackle that it might inspire me to do something with my garage. We’ve tried so many times to get it organized but always fail miserably. Right now it’s so bad we can’t even park our cars in there, let alone navigate in there to get things out.
.-= Cat @ 3 Kids and Us´s last blog ..Boudreaux’s Rash Protector Review =-.
Kristie says
I think we parked one of our cars in the garage like twice 10 years ago =)
Shasta says
I can’t wait to see what they do! I am in serious need of some shelving and would love to figure out a way to store all of our baby gear. My goal would be to get everything off of the floor because I am always so afraid I will pick something up and find a snake! Ahhh!
.-= Shasta´s last blog ..$1700 Virtual Baby Shower Giveaway – ENTER NOW =-.
Kristie says
Okay that last line about the snake got me! I hate them! I can’t imagine wondering if I’ll find one on my floor.
Rebekah Cooksey says
I am so glad to follow you through this process! We are looking at outdoor storage sheds because we’re about to do the same thing – except we’re doing it b/c our garage is bursting with kids outdoor toys and sports equipment! Good luck, can’t wait to see the before/after!
Jenn4him says
I am so ready to get our garage organized. It’s not bad considering when we moved in a month ago we just did the “stash and dash” method of organization. Later is here, so I’ve decided that next week I will get the garage in order. I don’t think parking a car in there will happen with 8 bikes and 2 lawn mowers, not to mention the camping stuff and kids over-flow! I look forward to your next post. Maybe I will take a before and after myself. Thanks!
Jenn
RubbermaidErin says
Jenn,
If you cannot park your car in the garage, don’t feel bad. Almost 58% of Americans do not park their car in the garage!
After reading your comment, I have a few ideas for you while you are organizing. If your kids are older, try getting bike hooks that hang the bikes on the walls. This will clear up floor space for your lawn mowers!
For kids, give them responsibility and keep it easy for them to organize their items. Try open bins or totes for balls. Install some shelving and give each child their own shelf. Provide clear totes so they can see what is inside and access what they want. If it is their own shelf and stuff they might be more likely to keep it neat!
Good luck organizing. I know it can be overwhelming when you just move!!
Mandi says
What’s the percentage for people who don’t even have a garage, and instead of what could only be classified as a just-shy-of-being-a-garage-but-is-just-a-shed that is too dark, cob-webbed, filled, and icky to want to store anything in? LOL
RubbermaidErin says
Mandi,
I wish I knew the answer to that. At least one person apparently! LOL!