by Lauren P. Kennedy
September 21, 2004

It's nearly fall. If your garage has become a dusty, dimly lit warehouse for brief obsessions (the treadmill you used twice), ancient history (Junior's Little League trophies) and seasonal flings (Halloween decorations, broken cross-country skis), it's time to get organized -- before the first snowstorm strikes.

The typical garage averages 400 to 700 square feet and is often the largest room in a house. It's also usually a raw space that invites thoughtlessly stored clutter. "People design their interior rooms with great care but forget to develop the garage," says Peter Belman, president of GarageTek of Greater Washington, which transforms disaster zones into the most envied garages in their neighborhoods.

So get ready to tackle the rusty nails, grime and long-forgotten gardening tools: Once your shovels are parked in their proper place, your car can be, too -- inside the garage instead of out on the driveway. Here are five steps to get you started:

TAKE INVENTORY AND STREAMLINE. 
Sort through your possessions and draw a hard line: If you haven't touched it in more than a year, do you truly need it? If it's important or sentimental, set it aside for proper storage. If not, throw it away, or donate it to Goodwill (202-636-4225, www.dcgoodwill.org) or a local church and get a tax write-off. If you want someone else to cart away your rejects, you can contact local movers Junk in the Trunk (202-487-4643, www.haulmyjunk.com) or call national trash removers 1-800-GOT-JUNK (800-468-5865, www.1800gotjunk.com). To get bulk trash picked up by the city, call your county or District public works department.

MEASURE AND PLAN. 
Your newly emptied garage may make you swoon. But don't get too excited -- there's still work to be done. Carefully measure the floor, walls and ceiling, and think about using your space efficiently. Hold Everything (www.holdeverything.com), Home Depot (www.homedepot.com) and Target (www.target.com) sell great accessories to maximize your storage potential. Consider hanging items that you use frequently, such as rakes or garden hoses, on easy-to-reach wall hooks. Suspend bicycles from ceiling mounts -- especially during cold-weather months, when they're not in use. Purchase adjustable brackets to install shelves, and you'll be able to raise or lower them as your storage needs change. For stationary shelving, try the ClosetMaid Garage Organizer, which retails for $29.97 and includes a trio of three-foot, heavy-duty shelves, plus all the hardware needed for installation (www.closetmaid.com).

PACK WITH STYLE. 
The shelves are up and you're ready to fill them with the items you couldn't toss. Before throwing your belongings into flimsy cardboard boxes, consider improving the durability and visual appeal of your storage containers. Garages in the mid-Atlantic are subject to extreme year-round fluctuations in temperature and humidity, so it's smart to go with weatherproof plastic boxes -- they last a long time and are inexpensive. The Container Store sells clear plastic totes with locking lids in various sizes that allow you to view the contents inside without unpacking ($13 to $95 at www.containerstore.com).

STORE IT SAFELY. 
Does gasoline kept in plastic milk jugs or dented metal cans sound familiar? Both are accidents waiting to happen. The best containers in which to store gas are Underwriters Laboratories- or Factory Mutual-approved safety cans. They're more expensive than what you'd find at your local hardware store, but they're more durable and can withstand a three-foot drop onto a concrete floor without leaking. (To order, visit www.hazmatstorage.com, www.materialflow.comor www.pssstequipment.com). In addition, never leave gasoline next to a heat or ignition source, and if possible, store it on a high shelf -- well out of children's reach.

HIRE A PROFESSIONAL. 
Not a do-it-yourselfer? Swamped with office work? Just plain lazy? For an average of $6,000, you can hire the designers at GarageTek (www.garagetek.com) to redo your space. They'll create a computerized architectural map depicting your garage with modular wall units, cabinets and reconfigurable shelving. The renovation itself is usually completed in a single working day (though it's up to you to remove and replace your belongings). Or, for the full-service treatment, you can hire Clutterbusters Professional Organizers of Derwood, Md., to remove trash, clean, organize, shop for storage containers, and even hire outside contractors for painting, plumbing and so on (www.theclutterbusters.com). The company charges $70 an hour for three hours' work minimum, but beyond that, pricing fluctuates depending on your needs: Once you name your budget, the company will do as much work as possible within it.

Lauren P. Kennedy Want to know how to do something? Send your questions to howto@washpost.com