In our busy lives, it’s all too easy to get caught up in the day-to-day, then before you know it, your home is cluttered and disorganized. The garage is one culprit for clutter, especially since it’s a little more “out of sight, out of mind” than other parts of our homes. But did you know that a disorganized or poorly organized garage can be a potential hazard for your home, your car, and your family?

Why Organizing Your Garage Is Important for Insurance

At Farm Bureau Insurance of Tennessee, our home and auto policies are here to support you in the event of an accident or damage. They’re paired best with a healthy dose of prevention on your part. In a garage without proper storage or organization measures, children and pets may be able to get into hazardous materials or tools. Objects may fall and hurt someone or your vehicle. Plus, if your garage is too cluttered to park your car inside, your car may be unprotected from the elements such as UV damage, tree sap, and fallen tree limbs.

Tips for Organizing Your Garage

Here are some tips to help you whip your garage into organized shape, finally pull your vehicle inside where it’s safe – and hopefully avoid unexpected expenses or insurance claims from an accident.

1. Give yourself time. This is a project that might take a full weekend (or two or three), so set that time aside to focus and work uninterrupted.

2. Categorize and declutter. Sort the items in your garage into categories such as donation, sell, trash, and keep. This will help to reduce the clutter, and you may even make a little money on that old push mower that’s been collecting dust. Keep in mind that most donation centers will not accept items that need repair or are considered hazardous, such as paint and household chemicals. Contact your local donation center to learn about their guidelines before donating.

3. Leave no stone unturned. Carefully go through all unpacked boxes in your garage to make sure you don’t accidentally throw away anything valuable, like an old family heirloom. Thoroughly check all drawers in case you already own items that you forgot about and were thinking of purchasing or replacing.

4. Use waterproof storage bins. If possible, place any long-term storage items in waterproof bins in case of flooding, which can happen in your basement as well. If you’re on a budget, at least make sure the items settled on the ground are waterproof and stack cardboard boxes on top of those.

5. Keep clutter off the ground. Avoid leaving random items on the garage floor, such as toys, tools, and other small items. This will free up space for a car and help prevent whoever is pulling into your garage from accidentally running over something.

6. Utilize vertical storage space. Use shelving units, pegboards, or hooks to make use of your wall space and reduce clutter. Just make sure anything you store won’t interfere with your garage door! You should never stack or store items so high overhead that there’s a risk of their falling on you or a family member.

7. Know the basics of paint storage. Extreme cold can ruin old paint, so store paint in a location where the temperature is controlled, such as a basement. If you need to dispose of leftover paint, follow the guidelines of your local hazardous waste disposal or recycling facility.

Repeat these steps at least once a year, and you should be able to stay on top of organizing your garage. And while you’re on a spring organization kick, reach out to your local Farm Bureau Insurance of Tennessee agent to be sure your home and auto policies provide the coverage you and your family need.