September’s cooler days inspire us to organize our sheds, garages, and any other outside storage areas. It’s time to put away our summer equipment and muck out the debris that has been tracked in. Even if you do this zone once a year, it can easily get disorganized and cluttered because it is so easy just to open the door and drop something “just for now”.
Before you start your project, take a good look at the way it is now. Notice what is working (don’t mess with that area) and what is not working. Envision how you want to use this zone. Your vision might include a place to:
Park your car
Store trash cans/recycling
Store gardening tools and accessories
Pot or repot plants
Work on projects and store tools
Store bikes and other sports equipment/outdoor games/camping gear
Store outdoor entertainment supplies
Store extra products
Bring everything outside or if this is a large or very filled area, pull stuff out by sections. Sort like with like. Note what is broken or what you have not used in the past year. Get rid of these items or make a note to replace them. Get rid of expired seeds or old chemicals. Give away or sell tools you no longer use. The Tool Bank is a great place to donate tools for community projects. http://toolbank.org
Next decide where to logically place your zones. Items that you use frequently are best stored near entrances. As you group your items in each zone, look for containers to hold small items together. A clear shoebox without the lid can hold gardening gloves. A flat basket can hold gardening tools. Use shelves, pegboards, hooks, and nails to keep items off the floor. Avoid stacking containers because, for sure, you are going to want something that is in the bottom container. Label containers that are not clear.
Knock down cobwebs, sweep the floor, and start putting things away. You’ll be amazed at how much room there is now that all the items have been bunched together and stored away.
Now reward yourself! A hot shower and a cool drink might be just the thing.
Jonda S. Beattie Professional Organizer