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My Favorite Garage Organizing Products

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My Favorite Garage Organizing Products

Decluttering a garage is the first step to getting it organized. After you’ve decluttered, choosing the right storage products for the items you’ll be keeping in your garage is important. Here are some of my favorite garage organizing products:

Overhead Shelving

This type of shelving is great for clearing things off the floor and storing rarely used items.

Freestanding Wall Shelving
Adjustable, freestanding wall shelving like this is a great option if you are renting, or do not want to permanently attach shelves to the garage wall.  Shelving like this is available in many sizes and materials, choose what works best for your garage space.

 

Wall Mounted Shelving
Heavy-duty wall mounted shelving like this is another great option for garages.

 

Peg Boards
Peg boards are great for storing small items where you can easily see them. With options for adding hooks, baskets or small shelves, you can store a variety of items on peg boards like this one.

 

Garage Wall Tracks
There are several companies that offer wall tracks for garages, like this one from Gladiator. This makes it easier to hang and reposition storage hooks as needed.

 

Heavy Duty Hooks
Heavy duty wall hooks are great for storing bikes, shovels, weed eaters and more. You can find them in multiple sizes, and mount them directly to your garage wall.

 

Bike Racks
Space-saving bike racks like this one lean against a wall and can help clear floor space in garages.

 

Lidded Bins
Clear water-tight, gasketed lidded bins like this help to protect your belongings from pests and moisture. Choose a size that best fits your garage shelving.

 

Tool Bench
If you work with tools in your garage, having a dedicated workbench like this will help keep your tools together and organized.

 

Freestanding Tool Tower
If you prefer to keep your large yard tools off of the wall, a tool tower like this is a helpful alternative.

 

Utility Cabinets
Tall utility cabinets like this one can be made of steel, wood or plastic, and they are helpful in storing a variety of items in your garage.

 

Garage Parking Guides
Although this is not a storage product, I recommend a parking aid like this to help to make sure all vehicles are parked in the correct space in the garage,  so that you have enough clearance to enter and exit the vehicle without bumping into any other items stored in the garage.

My Favorite Bedroom Closet Organizing Products

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My Favorite Bedroom Closet Organizing Products

Bedroom closets are one of my favorite places to organize.  I’ve decluttered and organized hundreds of closets, and these are some of my go-to products for organizing closets.  The exact type and size of the products depends on the size and layout of your space.

My Favorite Bedroom Closet Organizing Products

Slimline hangers

These are great space savers, and having similar hangers creates a tidy look.

Shoe racks

If your closet doesn’t have built-in shoe storage, a shoe rack along the floor or a wall will help to contain shoes.

Belt hangers

Belts come in all sizes, so gathering them together on a belt hanger makes them easier to manage.

Scarf hangers

Loop scarf hangers allow you to see what you own, letting you put together an outfit faster.

Command Hooks

These versatile hooks come in many styles and sizes, they can be used for various purposes on any open wall space in a closet.

Over-the-door shoe organizers

If you have enough space behind a door, these over-the-door organizers can not only hold shoes, but other small items of clothing such as socks and scarves.

Cube storage

If there’s enough space,  cubical units can add additional storage to a closet.

Fabric bins

These bins work well inside cubical storage units, or on closet shelves.

Storage baskets

For a more decorative look, storage baskets are great for containing items in closets.

Plastic storage drawers

If you prefer drawers to bins or baskets, stackable single plastic storage drawers are a great option for holding all types of clothing.

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8 Reasons to Organize (or Empty) Your Storage Unit

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Storage units are a growing industry.  They certainly serve their purpose if you’re going through a relocation, or living somewhere temporarily.  However, I’ve come across numerous organizing clients with storage units that have become just another stressor in their lives.  They are paying a monthly fee to rent a unit to hold items for them.  Most times, they don’t remember what’s inside the storage unit, or have no need or use for the contents.  There are exceptions of course, but organizing or emptying your storage unit may be beneficial to you in many ways.

Reasons to Organize (or Empty) Your Storage Unit

1. To save money on the cost of a monthly storage unit rental.

2. To know exactly what you own and where you can find it.

3. To sell items for a profit.

4. To donate old belongings to a charity.

5. To give away items to other family members.

6. To discover items that should really be in your home for use, decor or sentimental reasons.

7. To let go of things from your past that are no longer important to you.

8. To finally get this stressful to-do off your plate. 

If sorting, organizing or emptying your storage unit is an overwhelming task for you or your family alone, contact a professional organizer to provide guidance and assistance with this project.  If you’re located in the Raleigh, North Carolina area, please contact me for a free phone or video chat to discuss your organizing needs.

Lego Storage & Organization

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lego storage and organization title

Lego blocks are one of the most common types of toys that parents ask about organizing.  There are so many types of Legos, and parents want to encourage creativity in their children, but they don’t want to be stepping on Lego pieces regularly!

There are several ways to organize and store Legos, and it depends on how many you own, and how your children play with them.  If you have children who like to play with the sets, you can keep the sets in the original boxes, or place each set with instructions into a clear lidded plastic bin. Choose a bin size large enough to hold the entire set.  All of these bins can then be labeled, stacked and stored on open shelving or inside a cabinet or closet.

For younger children, or those that are fine with separating the Lego sets, the pieces can be stored in many ways.  Here are some storage options for lose Lego pieces.

Plastic Bins  

Stackable lidded plastic bins in a variety of sizes can work well to separate and store different types of Lego pieces.

Plastic Drawers

You may want to use a plastic drawer system and have separate drawers for different types of pieces or colors of pieces.  These Lego storage drawers are another cute option.

Removable Plastic Drawers and Bins 

A system like the Ikea Trofast toy storage series is versatile because all drawers can be removed, and they come in a variety of depths and sizes to customize based on your collection. 

Tool Boxes

Some children like using a portable tool box to hold their Legos in place.

Hardware Bins  

These plastic stacking AkroBins, meant for screws, small tools or crafts, can work well for holding Legos.

Floor Activity Bags

Portable floor mat activity bags meant for Legos, like these Swoop Bags, are a wonderful way to keep the blocks contained.

On Task Organizing, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com

Eliminating Excess: It’s About the Process, Not Buying More

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Eliminating Excess: It's About the Process, Not Buying More

I was recently contacted by someone asking me to look at his home and tell him exactly what storage products are needed and the total cost of these products.  He believed that buying new storage products will get him organized.  He kept focusing on the storage products and not the process.  In my vast experience of organizing homes, eliminating the excess is the first and most important step to getting organized.  If you have too many items that you don’t use, buying more containers to hide them will not get you organized.

3 Simple Steps to Getting Organized

1. Eliminate Excess

Eliminating Excess, purging and sorting your belongings will make the most impact in decluttering and organizing your home.  I urge all of my organizing clients to not buy storage products until the space has been sorted and excess eliminated.  At that point, we will know that the items that remain are important and useful.

Excess items are donated, recycled, sold, given to friends and family, or tossed, depending on the item.  After those things are gone, empty containers or organizing supplies usually remain.  These empty storage products can then be repurposed to organize the remaining belongings.

2. Determine Storage Product Needs

Once remaining items are sorted by category, purpose and frequency of use, and storage products already owned have been repurposed, then the discussion of buying new storage products can begin.

The storage products needed depend on the size of the space, the amount of items to be contained, and where the items will be accessed and used.  Storage supply selection also depends on the home owner’s organizing style and taste.  Some people prefer clear containers, others want baskets, while others like fabric bins.  Some people prefer to hide things away in cabinets or drawers, and others prefer to have items in view on open shelves or countertops.

3. Select & Shop for Storage Products

Storage product selection also depends on your budget.  Some homeowners would like to spend nothing on products and just repurpose shoeboxes, others shop at Wal-Mart, while others shop at Pottery Barn.  Your personal decorative style, budget and organizing methods also help to determine which products are right for you.  The finishing touch is to put the new storage products in place and label as needed.

Shopping for new storage products is one of the last steps in getting organized.  Just buying the products will not get you organized, you need to go through the process of eliminating excess and determining your storage needs first.  The next time you see a display of organizing supplies in a store, hold off on buying them until you know what you need.

Storing & Organizing Bulk Items

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Storing & Organizing Bulk Items Title

Many of my clients find that shopping at bulk discount stores such as BJ’s, Costco or Sam’s Club saves them both money and time.  Shopping in bulk does not save space though, so storing bulk items can sometimes be a challenge.  Here are some tips on shopping in bulk and ways to store and organize bulk items:

Only Buy Items if You have Storage Space

When shopping at bulk discount stores, only buy items if you have enough storage space.  If you buy too much, your own home may begin to look like a store with pallets of cans and packs of paper goods taking over floor space.

Keep Track of Your Supply

Keep track of how long it takes you to use up a bulk supply of items, then schedule your future trips accordingly.  Perhaps shopping in bulk once per month or once per quarter will work well, depending on your available storage space, budget and schedule.

Make a Shopping List

Make a list of what you need before shopping in bulk.  It can be very easy to overspend in a warehouse discount store.  Making a list and sticking to it will help you save money.

Consider the Climate of Your Storage Area

For items that do not need to be in climate controlled areas, such as paper towels, you may want to store those on a labeled shelf in a garage, basement or attic.  It is best to store food and perishable items indoors in a climate controlled area.

Repurpose an Extra Room or Closet for Storage

If you have the space in a bonus room or spare bedroom closet, install extra shelving and make this your bulk storage closet.  There’s no need to install permanent shelves, freestanding shelving such as this wire shelving or plastic shelving can work well for this purpose.

Look Upwards for Extra Storage

Utilize the very top shelves of your pantry, laundry closet or linen closet to store overflow bulk purchases.  If you have space on top of your kitchen cabinets, some bulk items can be stored there in decorative baskets or fabric bins.

Make Use of Shelves, Racks & Tiered Shelving

For canned goods, wire racks like this, or tiered shelves make it easier to see what you have in stock.

Contain Items by Category

Use bins to contain smaller items by type on shelves.  For items such as toiletries, sort by category and use small bins to contain these items on the shelves.

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