It's easy to make the garage a "catch-all" room for all those things that don't really have a place. But before long, you've got a real mess on your hands, and a potential safety hazard. This spring, start your cleaning in the garage and make it a safer place for you and your family.
"It's important to keep the garage organized and throw away things you don't need anymore," said Ron Hazelton, host of Ron Hazelton's HouseCalls. "Garages tend to accumulate a lot of stuff which can present many safety hazards for the home."
Hazelton recommends using the following supplies and ideas to help create a vision beyond the clutter that may have filled your garage for years:
- Hooks
Use a row of hooks along a sidewall to hang shovels, rakes, bikes, sleds, lawn chairs and any sharp objects. Doing this will prevent accidents and create more floor space. Think strategically about hook placement – placing hooks on the same wall as the side door to allow for easy access to the rakes and lawn chairs so you won't have to carry them from the back of the garage and risk scraping the car. - Shelves
Shelves are an effective way to organize a wide variety of items, such as gardening supplies, tools and spare auto supplies. However, it's important not to overload shelves or store items on them that might catch the eye of a child. "Children often see things on a shelf that interest them and they try to get them down," said Hazelton. "This creates a tipping hazard that can be really dangerous."One way to help prevent shelves from falling is to secure a shelving unit to the wall. Also, place lightweight items on higher shelves and the heavier items on the lower shelves.
- Storage Bins
Use lockable tool caddies and storage bins to organize your various supplies. Smaller storage units fit perfectly on shelves, while larger ones fit on the floor next to the shelves. - Designate Areas
If you have kids, create a "play c enter" to store all sports equipment, balls, lawn toys and beach supplies together."If you have toddlers or young children, try getting low and looking at your garage from their point of view," added Hazelton. "This will help you identify potential hazards that might not otherwise be visible."
Here are more garage safety and organizational tips:
- Use or install adequate locks (high deadbolts or flip locks) to prevent toddlers or young children from gaining access to the garage or workshop area.
Install an alarm on the door leading to the garage that will sound if it is left open for more than a few seconds. This is a very inexpensive and effective way to know if your child may have wandered off into the garage.
Use electrical outlet covers as you would in other parts of the house and disconnect power tools when they are not in use. Store ladders in a horizontal position so a child cannot climb them.
Properly dispose of any flammable materials such as piles of old newspapers and magazines, old clothing and soiled, oily rags. The safest storage solution for gasoline or kerosene is in an outdoor storage shelter detached from the house. Only store gasoline in approved containers and keep it away from gas and water heaters.
Also, be sure to keep potentially harmful chemicals in their original containers.
By getting and keeping your garage organized, you'll have a safe space to do projects, an efficient space for work, and some great storage space.