AKL Guide to Garage Season
For many (most) of us, the garage can quickly become a dumping ground. So if yours has become overwhelming, then it’s time to review, refresh, and reorganize. The garage is one of our favorite organizing projects because the end result has such a big impact — especially for our multi-sport families. Before you jump in, it’s always best to establish your specific garage goals.
Here are some questions to get the process started:
What categories or items do you NEED and/or WANT to store in your garage?
What’s stressing you out the most about your garage?
What’s on your garage wishlist?
Do you want your garage to be a hangout spot or strictly for storage?
Do you want to be able to park your cars in your garage?
And, Four Organization Systems We Love
Freestanding Metro racks with wheels for ultimate flexibility
Elfa garage systems from The Container Store for things like customized work benches
Slatwall Systems to get all the sports and seasonal items off the ground and organized. These are custom systems, see a sample in The Overhaul below.
Custom concealed cabinets, benches, and shelving.
AKL GARAGE PROJECTS
THE REFRESH
OVERVIEW
This busy family of 5 is MAJORLY into sports. Year-round, multiple sports at a time. So, their kids needed to have their own drop zone and access to the items they needed quickly and efficiently. We consulted with the client on all the large storage components before they were installed. Our team then stepped in to get everything out of the garage, sort items into categories, and review every single item they owned. We then helped organize everything based on the systems in place, accessibility, and frequency.
PRODUCTS WE USED (click the picture to shop)
PROJECT TOTAL: $2,685
Labor - 31 hours: $1,985
Materials: $700
THE REORG
OVERVIEW
Our client already had built-in cabinets and upper-ceiling rack storage. So, our team focused on clearing and sorting decades of sentimental family keepsakes as well as stuff their kids had outgrown. We created a custom materials list (bins, wall-mounted racks, etc) to fit their existing shelving. In order to get the larger items off the floor we installed Rubbermaid track systems and switched out all new matching black containers to keep things visually cohesive. The most important part of the process? Doing a heavy edit of all things along the way.
PRODUCTS WE USED (click the picture to shop)
PROJECT TOTAL: $4,415
Labor - 47 hours: $2,838
Materials: $1,577
THE OVERHAUL
OVERVIEW:
This is where AKL’s expertise shines. Our client wanted us to help them with a full garage makeover which included: epoxy, new paint, custom workbench design, slatwall install, floor plan layout, and organization install. This family of five needed to fit both cars into their garage daily. They also love to ski and needed front and center access for the kids to grab and pack their own gear to and from the mountain. Another must: A separate area for home utility and tool storage close to the mudroom for easy storage and access when home improvement tasks need to happen. We even installed a custom adjustable shoe shelf next to their mudroom entrance for all of their dirty and wet sports shoes, so the mess can’t be tracked through the house.
PRODUCTS WE USED (click the picture to shop)
PROJECT TOTAL: $5,250
Labor - 39 hours: $1,686
Materials: $3,564