Organizing...help!!!!

[northsidechicagoguy]

I will follow this up with some pictures, but let's start off with a story. I moved into my house ~7 years ago, and was amazed at how much storage space there was. A garage, an unfinished attic over the garage, a tool shed in the backyard, space in the furnace room, a crawl space, a cedar closet, a mudroom, and a closet built around the water shut-off in the basement.

Fast forward 7 years, and I have $hit everywhere...basically due to paralysis by analysis. I've done an OK job, kind of. The tool shed in the backyard houses yard tools, lawn mower, etc. The garage holds tools, and my wife uses cabinets for platters, etc. (out of my way, so I really don't care). The mudroom closet has all sorts of household ****. I HATE my crawl space. It's elevated, so you climb into it, rather than duck into it, and it's about 6 feet wide by 20 feet deep. The pain in the *** of it is that the first thing in ends of being the last thing out - there is no good way to create an "alley" to pull the deepest thing out of there without pulling everything else out first.

I implore you all - please provide me your wisdom, experience, as to where you all opt to keep things, in a way that is pleasing to the mind. I am, at heart, an organized person, but I screw myself up by over-deliberating where things should go!

BTW, this came up because I am trying to get my Xmas decorations out, and have renewed my frustration with the situation.

Thanks,
Northside

 

[northsidechicagoguy]

BTW, mods, if this belongs elsewhere, please feel free to move...

 

[Strouty]

Right place.

You have just found that we all tend to fill the space we have. I would say try and sort like with like and take a hard look at things that you don't need. I have had my fair share of this feeling, heck I still have it. I have been working on my mess since April of this year and I am just starting to feel like I am getting somewhere. Search for organizing, there are some really good threads that should give you some good ideas.

 

[smokey0810]

Moved everything decoration related out of the attic, into the rafters of my garage. That way, when the wife needs to put something up, she doesn't need me to crawl into the attic and hand stuff down to her.
First big step of organization is throwing away the stuff you really don't use/need.

 

[northsidechicagoguy]

Thanks - I can use all the help I can get. It has nothing to do with aesthetics, it is really for the purpose of getting a sense of calm, knowing where everything is at. Disorganization can be panic inducing...

 

[northsidechicagoguy]

Moved everything decoration related out of the attic, into the rafters of my garage. That way, when the wife needs to put something up, she doesn't need me to crawl into the attic and hand stuff down to her.
First big step of organization is throwing away the stuff you really don't use/need.

What are your thoughts on the furnace room as storage space? I also have decent space in the "room" that was created alongside the foundation where the water shut-off is, but I want to keep this clear in case I need to rush in.

 

[Clik]

I try to sectionalize. Like things with like things. I have my Automotive section, my Cleaning Supply section, my Paint section, my Tractor stuff, my Towing Hitches, my Chain section, my Strap section, my Power Handtool section, my Welding section, my Chainsaw stuff, etc. Next I need to build a Welding Table and organize my clamps and angle grinders. I'd also like to build a small shed just for wood working because I don't like the fire risk of mixing sawdust with welding sparks. As it is now I have to clean up wood work before welding and if it's a combined wood/metal project that's a pain. I'm figuring on a small shed with sides that will lift up from knee heigth lower than the table saw height so I can cut long boards in a small shed.

 

[northsidechicagoguy]

For the tools, etc. I haven't had too much of an issue making good use of the garage, though I am absolutely in a battle between pegboard and buying a bigger tool chest. It's stuff like paint, where I have lots of partially used cans, paintbrushes, etc. that are in my house (it's Chicago here...freezing temps/thawing temps work a number on paints) that present a challenge.