If you want an organised and efficient home then you are going to need to design and implement some shelving systems. Not only do shelves organise and create order, they can also create a nice look if the right type is bought for your needs. This article discusses different shelves and how they can and should be used in the home to create order out of chaos.

The garage in particular is a place that is usually packed to the rafters with things that need storing. From paint to garden tools to children's' toys, somehow the garage also ends up being a total mess. The answer is an effective shelving system. First and foremost you need to have a clear out. This is true of any room you want to organise. Once you have thrown away or recycled anything you don't want you can begin planning. If you can, draw up a list of what needs storing in the garage. From here you can group items in relevant categories. For example you may have a large amount of equipment, tools and bits for the garden. These should all be stored together. You might also have a large amount of sporting equipment such as golf clubs and skis. These should also be kept together in the same place. When it comes to garages, the best type of shelving units to buy are metal ones. They are robust, sturdy and can take considerable weight.

Having erected your shelves and placed them around the room you can start to fill them. Be careful at this point because if you make it too packed then you won't be able to find anything. Make sure everything can be reached easily. It shouldn't take you more than a couple of minutes to find something small. Put things you rarely use on the top and bottom shelves and save the ones at head height for items that are in use every day. Get your label maker out if you can and make some labels. Write what is contained on each shelf and stick them on. Your garage will be organised and free from clutter in no time.

When it comes to the garden shed, pretty much the same procedure should be taken. Sort, clear, group, stack and label! Metal shelves are also good for the shed because they can be wiped clean of soil easily and won't rot like wood can when they get damp. In the house you may not want industrial looking metal shelves. In the kitchen and sitting room you should use shelves that are decorative and look attractive. You may want to forego the labels too which can look unsightly. If you have a lot of small items then you should store these in nice boxes or baskets on the shelves. That way the baskets are serving a useful function whilst fitting in with your decor.

In bedrooms shelving is a great way to organise. They can be used for anything from clothes to books to cuddly toys. Be careful not to pile things on top of each other however because then it becomes too easy to not put something back once you have used it. When this happens just once or twice, the whole system can start to fall down.

Whatever part of the house you want to organize, shelving can help. In the garage and tool shed, shelving systems should concentrate on practicality rather than beauty. That means metal shelves should be used and labels stuck everywhere to easily view the items. Workbenches also work well alongside garage shelving units. Inside the house it is better to use shelves that look nice and fit in with your existing decor. Shelves can definitely create order throughout the home.