If you have a garage or own an outdoor shed, you know that, when summer starts, they become a dumping ground. Lawn tools, outdoor furniture, and pool toys are just a few of the things tossed into garages and sheds. A cluttered garage or shed not only makes it more difficult to find what you need, but it can also be dangerous. Sharp tool and heavy items can pose a danger if not stored properly.

No one wants to spend time searching for their pool toys instead of enjoying the day! Organizing your garage or outdoor shed at the beginning of summer can help maximize your summer fun and family time. To help you do that, NSA Storage gathered these nine summer organization tips for garages and outdoor sheds.

Supplies Needed for Organizing Garages and Outdoor Sheds

Before starting your organization project, it’s best to gather all of the tools and supplies you’ll need. Those include the following:

• Clear, plastic storage bins. 
• Pegboard(s)
• Wall and Ceiling hooks
• Tool organizers
• Bungee cords
• A label maker and labels
• An indelible ink marker (If you don’t have a label maker.)
• Cleaning supplies (broom, mop, scrub brush, etc.)

Step-By-Step Guide for Organizing Your Garage or Shed

1. Clean Everything Out

Professional home organizers will tell you that, when organizing any space, it’s best to start with a blank slate. That holds for garages and outdoor sheds, also, which makes cleaning everything out first a must. For example:

• Take everything out and put it in the yard or driveway
• Toss anything that’s broken or never being used
• Give away or donate things that you don’t want anymore but still work
• Sweep and mop all of the floors
• Dust or vacuum the entire space

2. Sort Things by Season or Usage

Organizing everything in your shed or garage into groups is a great way to get organized and stay organized. You can sort them by season, for example, or by how frequently they’re used. A few other groups you can use include:

• Gardening tools and garden supplies
• Sports equipment and outdoor summer games
• Things for the pool or beach
• Holiday decorations
• Car maintenance tools, equipment, and supplies

Once you start putting things back, you can use these groups to get organized and stay organized. Put things like winter sports equipment and holiday decorations towards the back of your shed or garage. That will leave space towards the front for summer items you’ll be using more frequently as the season goes on.

3. Make a “Grab and Go” Zone for Items Used Often

No matter how you spend your summer, there will be certain items you use more than others. For those, creating a “grab and go” zone is a great idea. That will give you quick access to things like:

• Beach chairs, towels, and umbrellas
• Yard games and toys
• Pool floats and chairs
• Bug sprays and sunblock
• Gardening and lawn care tools and supplies

You can set up your “grab and go” zone using baskets, hanging organizers or shelving units. Wall hooks and pegboard can also be handy to use in these zones. If you have smaller kids, make a zone close to their height with items they use during summer (and store items they shouldn’t touch higher up).

4. Use Vertical Space Wisely

Very few homeowners use the vertical space in their garages and outdoor sheds as well as they could. Here are a few tips to get the most out of your vertical space:

• If you have exposed studs, install shelves as high up as you can reach.
• Hang pegboards as high as you can and then hang things you don’t use frequently higher up. Things you use more frequently can be hung lower.
• Use large hooks to hang things like extension cords, bicycles, and hoses.

5. Consider Buying a Specialized Storage System

Organizing garden tools and some other items can be difficult because of their design or size. For those, a custom storage rack that you buy or build yourself makes sense. For example:

• A specialized rack to hold garden tools like rakes, shovels, hose, etc.
• Mesh bags to hang pool and other toys
• A large toolbox or a workbench with plenty of built-in drawers
• Pegboards and hooks

6. Use the Ceiling for Hanging Items

Just like vertical space, don’t forget to use the ceiling in your outdoor shed or garage. This is especially true if you have exposed beams, which makes it really easy to install hooks and other storage systems. Then you can hang:

• Racks for storage bins
• Hooks for bikes, outdoor cushions, large pool toys, etc.
• Use plywood to make a “floor” above the rafters for even more storage space

7. Store Things in Clear Plastic Bins

Clear plastic storage bins are easy to use, easy to stack, and let you see what’s inside! There’s nothing better for storing things you need regularly during summertime. If you have a label maker, be sure to label all of your plastic bins well. Or you can use masking tape and write labels in marker. That way, you can tell what’s inside with a quick glance. This storage solution will also help you to easily stay organized, an extra bonus!

For even easier access, a metal shelving rack can be used with large plastic bins. That way, you can grab one bin rather than having to stack and unstack all of them every time you need something.

8. Set an Organizing and Cleaning Schedule

For most of us, summer is a blur of hustle and bustle. For that reason, setting a cleaning and organizing schedule simply makes sense. To help, you can use whatever app or device you need to remind you, including:

• Todoist 
• Google Calendar 
• Apple Reminders
• Routine

Professional organizers all agree that it’s easier to stay organized if you stay on schedule. You’ll also lower your stress levels and make summer more enjoyable for the entire family.

9. Get the Family Involved

Get everyone involved in your summer organization project. After all, summer items are for everyone! If you organize together, everyone will know where their stuff is and be able to grab it easily. It’s a great way to spend less time looking for things and more time having summer fun.

Store Extra Items with NSA Storage

Summer is a time of fun, sun, and excitement. It’s also a time when you need certain tools, toys, and games to enjoy yourself. The tips provided today will help you have a stress-free summer, or at least lower your stress levels a little bit.

To lower that stress even more, many folks rent a storage unit in summer to store their stuff. For example, you can store all your winter gear during summer, and all your summer gear once the season ends. You can rent a storage unit online today and start storing things right away to make your summer more enjoyable!