2 5S Phase 2 of 5

Garage: Set in Order 整頓

A place for everything, and everything in its place.

The guiding principle: everything off the floor. Wall space is the garage's biggest untapped resource.

The zones to set in order

Primary purpose 🚗

Vehicle zone

The car(s) actually park here
Nothing on the floor blocking entry
Clear path to driver door

Wall-mounted 🔧

Tool zone

Pegboard or slotted panel
Hand tools visible + reachable
Power tools in cabinet below

Side wall 🌿

Garden zone

Lawnmower on floor
Garden tools hung vertically
Bags + fertiliser on low shelf

Hooks + rack 🚲

Sport zone

Bikes on wall hooks
Sports gear in labelled bins
Balls in a mesh cage or bin

park 🚗→ grab tools 🔧→ return everything· floor stays clear

⚡

The floor rule: the only things on the floor are the vehicle and the lawnmower. If the car doesn't fit, something needs to leave.

Set in Order tasks for the Garage

Mount a pegboard or slotted wall panel for hand tools — every tool visible and reachable
Wall-mount bikes on hooks — floor space for vehicles, not bikes
Shelving units on side walls for labelled storage boxes
Garden tools hung vertically on wall-mounted hooks
A labelled zone for sports equipment (balls in a bin, rackets on hooks)
Seasonal items (Christmas decorations, camping gear) in labelled bins on upper shelves

What is the Set in Order phase?

Set in Order (整頓, Seiton) assigns a specific, logical home to every remaining item. Items are placed at the point of use, at the right height, with the most-used items most accessible. The goal is a system so intuitive that anyone in the household can find and return every item without being told where it goes.

📊 Take the 5S Home Audit — score your home across all five phases →

Common questions about the Garage

How do I organise a garage?

The guiding principle is everything off the floor. A pegboard or slotted wall panel for hand tools, wall hooks for bikes, shelving units on the side walls for labelled storage boxes. The floor is for vehicles and the lawnmower only. Pull everything out, sort on the driveway, and only return what has a justified place.

What should I keep in the garage?

Vehicles (the primary purpose), tools actively used, garden equipment, sports and outdoor gear in current season, and labelled bulk storage for seasonal household items. Everything else — including "might need it someday" items — should not be in the garage. A garage that cannot fit the car has failed its primary purpose.

How do I maximise garage storage space?

Wall space is the garage's biggest untapped resource. A full pegboard wall for tools, wall-mounted bike hooks, overhead ceiling racks for seasonal items (camping gear, Christmas decorations), and wall-mounted shelving units free up the entire floor. Most garages can double their usable storage by going vertical.