It's tempting to utilize garage space as the final "catch-all" for your home's clutter. Simplify your life by adding organizational tools like heavy-duty cabinets and keep things clean with epoxied floors. This homeowner's newly-organized g

It's been one of those mornings. You can't find the kids' shoes, you need to gather all the dry cleaning and take it with you and you know your car keys must still be in the ignition of your car. It's a quarter to eight and already you are hours behind schedule.

Getting organized would be nice, you tell yourself, but where to begin? Take heart. There is hope for the packrat in all of us. Shelves of books can be found at any bookstore and many online sites are easily accessed that will help you get started. There is nothing more joyous than walking into a well-organized home, garage or office and knowing just where you left things. Instead of being hours behind schedule you'll find yourself right on schedule.

Just about every one of the experts will tell you to begin with a list. Taking a minute or two from your day to jot down a "to do" list is a huge first step. This list will help you declutter and there is probably nothing more satisfying that putting a big check mark or black line through as each task is complete.

There are several things to consider when getting rid of your clutter: Do you absolutely love the item? Have you used in the past year? Is it really garbage? Do you have another one that is better or should you really keep two? Does the item have sentimental value or does it just give you guilt?

Once you've decided what will go and what will stay, an organized closet, garage, kitchen and work space will help you keep things uncluttered (for a little while, at least). Consider buying large clear storage tubs and label what you've put in there: photographs, old yearbooks, kids' trophies, Christmas decorations or winter clothes.

If it's an item you will be looking for on a regular basis, don't place it in a garage or storage shed. Keep it nearby. If you don't have the cash to remodel your cabinets, you may want to replace just the cabinet shelves with some roll-out shelving. This technique will give you more room and bring everything in your cabinet into view for instant access. No more balancing on ladders or crawling into creepy attic space looking for the crock pot or school supplies. Shelves to Drawers, a local company, will professionally install customized shelves for your cabinets at a fraction of the cost of remodeling. They specialize in products that easily install into your existing cabinets, such as trash containers and roll-out shelving. For the do-it-yourselfer, Shelves to Drawers also offers custom roll-outs and pre-manufactured products that can be delivered right to your door.

Custom roll-out shelves like these are hand crafted by Shelves to Drawers for your existing cabinets, creating easy access to those hard-to-reach places.

"The roll-out system eliminates stress and strain on your body by bringing everything on your shelves out to you," said owner Jack Lemons. "You no longer have to get down on your hands and knees to fully access the contents of your cabinets."

If you are thinking of short-cutting the declutter portion of your list by storing all the "maybe I'll keep these items" in your garage, how about taking a minute to dress up the biggest room in your home with shiny flooring and new cabinets? Preparing the garage for cars, hobbies, sports paraphernalia and kids will make you want to keep this area well organized as the years pass.

Epoxy flake or metallic flooring is a good start to give the garage a clean, smooth look. GT Custom Garages™ ™ of Santa Clarita uses liquid granite epoxy that is highly durable. The floors are resistant to oils, paints, gasoline and a wide range of other chemicals. Cleanup is simply water and a rag. You'll finally be proud to show off your entire garage instead of just your clean car.

For additional storage space in the garage, remember to purchase heavy-duty, durable cabinets made for indoor/outdoor use. GT Custom Garages™ uses one-inch-thick industrial-grade board and seals the wood with Thermalfused Melamine for the storage units. "Nothing offered by most home improvement stores or closet builders can compare," boasts the folks at Custom Garages.

Once you begin to organize the clutter in your life, those crazy mornings of looking for this and searching for that will seem like long-ago memories. Remember, if you live with clutter and unfinished projects, your life will reflect this chaos. Sometimes it just takes a minute to begin the life of a well-organized individual.


For more information on Shelves to Drawers, call 800-343-5835 or www.shelvestodrawers.com. For GT Custom Garages™, call 661-255-6650 or visit the store site online at www.gotogt.com.