As the days are getting warmer, time spent outdoors is about to increase – finally, right?! It’s been a loooong winter. And lots of fun in the sun, comes months ahead with the garage door open and hours a day playing various sports activities + time spent on the lawn & garden.
While cooped up all Winter, we barely stepped foot in the garage other than to throw out the garbage + recycling. From remodeling the bathroom to receiving many large packages for the living room makeover (which is almost complete), the garage was totally neglected and got piled high with a lot of stuff. It was in desperate need of an overhaul + organization!
A few weekends ago we got our hands on the mess and started the process of whipping it into shape…
The temps were still a wee bit chilly, but the Mister and I set forth to start taking back our garage space. It’s definitely going to take time (we are not at all finished – yet), but we had to start someplace and that someplace was the kids stuff + lawn & gardening supplies.
Garage Takeover Step 1, in action…
We chose to use a product by Rubbermaid called FastTrack Garage Organization System. This system is similar to the closet organizational products that Rubbermaid also offers (we have similar systems in the coat closet/pantry + the kids bedroom closets) where there is one track at the top and brackets mount to it to easily add/adjust shelving for storage. It’s ideal because you only need to screw in the one rail and everything hangs off of it making the install time much quicker + easier.
The FastTrack System has a huge range of products that gets the most out of your vertical wall space to achieve an organized garage. I shopped at Home Depot for the items and they have a wide selection + a nice display set up. If there is something you are looking for specifically that they don’t have in the store, I discovered there are even more accessory options for purchase on the website.
Here are the accessories that I chose for our garage space…
the vertical ball rack
the wire basket which holds up to 50lbs.
the cooler hook (which is holding the scooter) and the multi-purpose hook (holding the lacrosse sticks)
Similar to a closet system, the Fast Track offers uprights + brackets + shelving options to get the most out of a vertical surface. Being able to have a shelf for storage is a must in the garage. I’ve loaded this shelf with our fishing tackle boxes, skates, bike helmets, etc.
Last, but not least we used the track system to hold all of the lawn + gardening supplies…
(left to right) the power tool holder, the cooler hook, the multi-purpose hook, the utility hook
Once I came up with my plan of action for how the organizational components would work best on the wall, the install was very easy & took about 20 minutes – I swear. It doesn’t take long because all that needs to be installed are the rails. Once those were up, I was able to hang everything off of them + make adjustments as needed.
We chose (3) 4′ long rails (they also come in an 8′ length), determined where the studs were located, then installed the rails using the FastTrack hardware. For one rail, we couldn’t locate the stud, so we used the anchors that came with the hardware package. After the rail was in place & level, we slid on the black cover. Per the FastTrack website, each rail holds 1750 lbs – wow!
After that, the accessories easily attached to create a truly customized garage storage system.
You simply attach, snap, and hang!
Oh and I never showed you the ‘before’ of the garage – yikes, it looked horrible and SO UNORGANIZED. Now it’s a completely organized + tidy spot…
Staying Organized
Organizing takes a bit of time + energy, but really isn’t difficult. What is DIFFICULT though is staying organized… that is always the challenge. Since this section of the garage is a lot about the kids, I really need them to stay on top of keeping it organized. I don’t have the time to clean up after them each day AND I want them too take responsibility for putting back what they take out.
Call me crazy, but I snapped a picture, printed it, and put it in a clear sheet protector. I added a few hand-written labels – nothing fancy – and pinned it to the wall. Now there is no excuse or wonder as to where things are supposed to go.
We shall see if it works…
I’m still making my way around the house, room by room, to get organized using my foolproof steps to home organization! I realized those same steps can pertain to the garage space too…
> make a list write down a plan of action for what you want to organize and what you need to lose
> get moving now once your plan of action is in place, it’s time to get moving. Don’t analyze (which I’m known to do) Just start.
> purge. toss. donate. start by sorting through the items you no longer need, use, and/or want. Set up 3 boxes or bags (I typically use large heavy-duty garbage bags) to purge, toss, and/or donate.
> organize using shelving with baskets, bins, and other storage caddies are a great way to organize items you want to keep.
> go vertical maximize your storage capabilities by using more wall space – just like I did with the FastTrack system
> commit getting organized is one thing, but staying organized is truly a commitment. Once you’re organized, take the extra few minutes to maintain it.
I am so happy with how this section of the garage turned out. We have lots more cleanup to do in this neglected space + a whole lotta work outdoors once the snow completely melts, but with warmer days on the horizon, we’ll make our way one day at a time.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post by Rubbermaid FastTrack. I chose to work with them because I knew it would help organize my dreaded garage space. I have been provided with product, but as always I was not told what to write and I only feature companies on my blog that I truly love and believe in 100%.
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Newell Rubbermaid. The opinions and text are all mine.
