2+ Re-organization Project

[my68spit]

I have been living here for almost 2 years now and the garage has been a mess for all of it. Last winter, I shoved everything back into the mini-tandem portion in an effort to allow for both cars to fit in the garage sans snow. Every time i want a tool I have to step over or on a bunch of other stuff just to get there. At one point, I pulled my tool chest away from the wall to look for something and more junk fell behind it. I never bothered to push it back since i couldn't get to the junk that fell.

Well...I started pulling stuff out of that tandem space and started to sort it by project type. I have some plans for what I want to do in the garage, but the ultimate goal is to have both walls by the cars completely clear so that both cars can functionally fit and all doors can be opened without hitting all the other junk. I am planning on doing a french cleat system along the walls where the yard tools are now, move the freezer over and back into the tandem space, put the garbage cans back there as well along with the lawn mower. Tool chest will go where the freezer is now with more french cleat hangers above. Another shelf like the one that was built up in the corner is in the works already and will go above the garage door.

I wasn't going to post any of this, but I need some motivation so please yell at me.
Pictures:

 

[HSpencer]

Well not too much to worry about. We have all been there or maybe still there. I would take the situation in calm bite size pieces, and before you know it, your standing back and proud of how you arranged things. One of the nice things about this will be as you move around things, you will see just a great way to store something, to organize an area or to get a scheme going that you will really wind up liking. Your not anywhere close to being in bad shape.
I would do what I have told others to do: Get a lawn chair and a cup of coffee some cool morning when your feeling good and just sit there and look at it. What would you like to wind up with? What are your desires for the space? Colors? Bins? Benches? You are going to be the only one having those answers.

Pros: The garage is actually pretty much already clean. Do you want to paint?

You already have a great assortment of bins and shelving.

Once it is all assembled, your going to have quite a bit of usable space.

Lighting is not bad. Not too much to go and buy to fix what you have.

Cons: I really can't see any obstacles to a great garage there!!!!

I think just a good deal of elbow grease and some quality time spent in there and your going to be looking good. I want to stay tuned for some progress pictures!!

Best Regards
Herb Spencer

 

[my68spit]

Looking towards something like this for starters.

I hate tha huge freezer and having the garbage cans in there. The long term plan is to get both of those items out of the garage along with all of the yard tools (considering some different yard storage ideas) and then i can use that whole tandem area as workshop with some proper work benches and cabinets.

 

[my68spit]

you can't tell from the pictures, but the lighting in there is miserable. I have a single light bulb fixture in the middle of the garage. If i want a little extra light i have to turn on my extension work-light (which also acts as 1 of 2 electrical outlets in the garage. the other one is tucked behind the freezer and a pain to get to).

 

[55cadillacking]

Your computer rendering looks pretty cool. I hope you are able to attain that final product.

Removing any and all non-automotive related items from the garage was cathartic for me. Keep up the good work and you'll get to where you want to go. Subscribed.

 

[my68spit]

thanks for the encouragement Spencer and CadillacKing. I did manage to make more of a mess in there by finding some lumber pieces for the french cleats. Now i just need to find the time to get in there. I gave my wife the project of getting all of her "stuff" out of of the garage, and she did! So I have a little more room to move some stuff around in there now. It's going to be a slow project on a budget, but I am hoping it will feel great when it's all done.

 

[dubber]

Get busy! Your very lucky to have that tandem area, but you really need to take advantage of that space with a ton of storage solutions. Get things up high and at the end of the garage, and moving those huge garbage containers out as well would no doubt help your cause. Any chance a shed is in the cards? Would do wonders for the lawnmower. Good luck!!

 

[my68spit]

I am leaning more towards a lean-to off the back of the house or converting part of the play set in the back yard into storage space. I don't want to do a shed because it would take up yard space and i would have to get it approved through the HOA and pull city permits to do a nice shed. I don't particularly like the plastic ones that you can buy for cheap. So a small shed/lean-to off the back of the house will not be noticeable to anyone in the neighborhood other than my immediate neighbor who i don't think will care as long as it is tastefully done. I will make it big enough to fit garbage cans, lawnmower and all yard tools. But one step at a time. I have to get the garage organized so as to show my wife just how "crowded" the space will be with all that lawn equipment in there and how nice it would be to be able to have that stuff more easily accessible from the back yard. baby steps.

 

[dubber]

I am leaning more towards a lean-to off the back of the house or converting part of the play set in the back yard into storage space. I don't want to do a shed because it would take up yard space and i would have to get it approved through the HOA and pull city permits to do a nice shed. I don't particularly like the plastic ones that you can buy for cheap. So a small shed/lean-to off the back of the house will not be noticeable to anyone in the neighborhood other than my immediate neighbor who i don't think will care as long as it is tastefully done. I will make it big enough to fit garbage cans, lawnmower and all yard tools. But one step at a time. I have to get the garage organized so as to show my wife just how "crowded" the space will be with all that lawn equipment in there and how nice it would be to be able to have that stuff more easily accessible from the back yard. baby steps.

Sounds like your on the right track....

 

[John in OH]

Couple of thoughts ...

Putting the trash cans up front in the alcove looks like a bad idea. You'll have to move the a car out of the garage just to get the trash cans out on trash day. Usually, if you keep the trash cans against a side wall near the O/H door they don't interfere with car doors and are easy to get out. Plus, you don't notice the smell so badly. Lawn mower can go on the other side near the O/H door opposite the cans.

I think I'd keep the freezer to the right of the door as it is now and use the entire alcove for the toolbox. Maybe build a bench above the toolbox if the box isn't too high and install pegboard or wall cabinets above.

Whatever you choose to do, enjoy!!

 

[my68spit]

Couple of thoughts ...

Putting the trash cans up front in the alcove looks like a bad idea. You'll have to move the a car out of the garage just to get the trash cans out on trash day. Usually, if you keep the trash cans against a side wall near the O/H door they don't interfere with car doors and are easy to get out. Plus, you don't notice the smell so badly. Lawn mower can go on the other side near the O/H door opposite the cans.

I think I'd keep the freezer to the right of the door as it is now and use the entire alcove for the toolbox. Maybe build a bench above the toolbox if the box isn't too high and install pegboard or wall cabinets above.

Whatever you choose to do, enjoy!!

I've tried the garbage cans next to the opening idea. Unfortunately, the garage is a narrow 2 cars wide and my wife likes leaving a lot of room on her side. The garbage cans stick out into the opening so I have to get VERY close (scrape my mirror on the cans close) to the garbage cans to allow myself enough room to get in and out. then if i have to get the kids in or out...i am out of luck. I am the one who takes the garbage out in the mornings anyways, so it's just a matter of pulling my car out before i leave and move the cans to the curb.

I took spencers advice and just sat in the garage for a bit staring at it with a drink in hand (not coffee). I came to the conclusion that i titled this thread properly in that it is JUST AN ORGANIZATION effort. I need to keep reminding myself of that. I am getting WAY too many awesome ideas from all of your garages and I want them all incorporated NOW. But for now, I want to get organized and figure out my final goal. I have some images in my head...and they are glorious!

After my dreaming, I got to work on a baby step and can finally see the top of my tool bench again!

 

[2fat2fly]

Even a baby step forward is still forward progress. your progress looks good so far. Keep it up.

 

[flatsixcrazy]

Looks like you have a lot of free spaces on the walls and ceiling ;-).

 

[my68spit]

Little progress report. Last night i finished up a shelf to go up in the corner of the garage over the top of the garage door rail.
Question about it: how much weight can those mental angles that hold the door track on them handle? I am thinking that for what I plan on putting up there, having the shelf lag bolted to the wall and the front edge resting on that metal angle should be sufficient. But my concern is if someone puts a lot more weight up there in the future. Should I add angled supports down to the wall to keep that front edge of the shelf off of that angle?

It looks like there is a gap in the back corner because the OSB on top isn't screwed down yet to the frame and it warps up a little in the corners.