A continuing compendium of tips and tricks from Home & Garden Television:The garage is usually where we toss everything that doesn't have a place in our home. If you find yourself using your garage as a receptacle, it's likely you haven't resolved all your organizing challenges within the home -- or that your garage needs a serious overhaul. Reclaim your garage with the help of our organized to-do list from professional organizer Vicki Norris.1. Set aside enough time to work on the project.Try to plan for a dry weekend, because you'll have to pull many items out of the shelter of the garage.2. Don't tackle it by yourself.Hire an expert, or get a team of people to work on the project, or it may turn into an overwhelming task that will be abandoned halfway through.3. Categorize the items in your garage.Some typical categories include recycling, sports and recreational equipment, camping gear, automotive, seasonal decor, garden gear and tools. Evaluate things such as luggage and paint, and see if you can store them elsewhere.4. Group the garage's contents.Once you know what categories of items will live in your garage, begin grouping them into these categories in the driveway or center of your garage. A few cardboard boxes will help you group, because everything from huge paint cans to nuts and bolts will eventually need to be contained. Be sure to label the boxes.5. Donate or throw out items that don't fit the categories.6. Determine the best garage layout.Decide where you want each category, considering its frequency of use and the available space. Parking space and shelves at eye level or within reach are "valuable real estate." Very high or low shelves are less valuable and should be reserved for items needed less frequently.7. Install built-in cabinets or modular storage if needed.Now that you know what you're keeping and how much space you have, determine what containers to use. Make the most of vertical space with wall-mounted pegboards and wire grids that hold everything from sports equipment to garden tools. Take advantage of overhead space with sturdy shelves that mount to the ceiling.8. Put items in their new places.9. Set an organizing schedule.Schedule a quarterly or biannual garage maintenance on your calendar. If it doesn't make it onto your calendar, it's less likely to happen. Meanwhile, remember to promptly put things away after using them.(For thousands of other ideas visit www.hgtv.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service.)
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