Garage Makeover

Mission: Organization : Episode MSO-504 -- More Projects »
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This large, 23-1/2" x 14" garage is home to boxes of tapes and inactive files as well as unused items that gradually have taken over the entire space.
News correspondent Art Harris and Carol Martin, a business consultant, are the proud owners of a garage that holds everything but the car.

The laundry center and extra refrigerator are located in the large space, but it is the piles of files and boxes (and boxes!) of tapes from Art's work that consume most of the space. With no clear work and storage zones, the space is virtually unusable, not to mention an unappealing and depressing sight.

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This sad little laundry corner in uninviting and inefficient. There's barely room to move without bumping into the many boxes and shelves piled around it.
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A storage nook in the corner is disorganized to the point that it is unusable, and the refrigerator can only be reached through the hanging dry cleaning.
Professional organizer Sandra Briggs has her work cut out for her, but she has a variety of solutions for the garage. The first step is to categorize everything into designated piles, including laundry, sports, tapes and books and office paper. Unused items are carted off to charity.
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The refrigerator was moved closer to the door for convenience and to make space for custom cabinets that hold tapes and files.
Next she adds a fresh coat of light green paint, race-deck flooring, wall boards with a wire basket storage system, and finally, custom cabinets that will make short work of storing Art's paper and tape avalanche.

A grid is placed over the washer and dryer providing more storage space. Every product now has a designated place, and the home and garden tools are stored on hooks.

The result is a refreshing space with clearly defined functional zones and loads of storage that leaves room to grow. Take a look:

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New shelving in the storage nook holds plastic bins for easy access to items.
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A wall board storage system behind the laundry center almost makes doing the laundry a pleasure.
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With files, tapes and equipment neatly stored in custom cabinetry around the room's perimeter, this garage is finally ready for the car!
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A sports zone and custom cabinetry provide order and space in the now-neat garage.
Products from The Container Store:

media storage box
stacking recycling and storage bins
white stacking recycling bin
bin laundry sorter
Big Bin trash container

Products from Esselte:

legal-size hanging file folders in Burgundy, Blue and Navy

Products from ClosetSmith, an ORG dealer:

garage cabinets, shelving, baskets and drawers

Resources
organizing and storage supplies
The Container Store
Website: www.containerstore.com

office supplies--Esselte
Esselte Americas
Website: http://corporate.esselte.com

organizing supplies--ClosetSmith
ORG/Windquest Companies Inc.
Website: www.windquestco.com

flooring--Racedeck
Racedeck
Toll-free: 800-457-0174
Website: www.racedeck.com
Guests
Sandra Briggs
Professional Organizer, Organize It All
Website: www.orgitall.com
Also in this Episode