Storage & Move-In Planning
Purpose: Plan the consolidation of items currently stored in the house and a rented 10’x20’x8’ storage shed into the garage. The rental shed previously housed the Corvette and a large volume of household items. Eliminating the shed rental is a key goal.
Timeline: Phased — begins before floor coating, continues through interior buildout (Spring–Summer 2026)
The Problem: No Space to Sort
There’s a catch-22: sorting and purging 60+ bins requires space to spread out, but there’s no space available until items are moved. The shed is packed wall-to-wall and the house has no spare room. The solution is a phased move with three purge passes, using the unfinished loft as a temporary staging area.
Phased Move-In Strategy
Phase 1: Bulk Transfer (As-Is) — Free Up Source Locations
Goal: Move items out of the shed and house into the garage without sorting to create working space at the source locations.
Staging area: The unfinished loft (560 sq ft of open floor). Before the loft is finished with flooring, walls, and its intended office/theater use, it serves as an ideal temporary staging zone — nothing to damage, easy stair access, and keeps the main garage floor clear for the floor coating work.
From the shed:
- Move a load of bins and bulky items → loft staging area
- Goal is to create enough empty floor space in the shed to sort remaining items in place
From the house (basement priority):
- Move bins, seasonal items, toys → loft staging area
- Goal is to clear basement floor space for sorting
Sequence with floor coating
Loft staging lets you empty the shed and house before the garage floor is coated. Items stay upstairs and out of the way during the coating and cure period.
Phase 2: Purge Passes at Source Locations
With space freed up in Phase 1, sort and purge at each source location before moving the remaining items to the garage.
Purge Pass 1 — Basement:
- Spread out remaining house items in cleared basement space
- Sort into: Keep (garage) / Keep (house) / Donate / Trash
- Move “Keep (garage)” items to garage (main floor if coating is done, loft if not)
Purge Pass 2 — Shed:
- Spread out remaining shed contents in cleared shed space
- Sort into: Keep (garage) / Sell / Donate / Trash
- Move “Keep (garage)” items to garage
- Cancel shed rental once fully emptied
Phase 3: Loft Purge Pass — Final Sort Before Finishing
Purge Pass 3 — Loft:
- Everything staged in the loft during Phase 1 gets its own purge pass
- By this point, garage main floor should be coated and cured, shelving/wall storage installed
- Sort loft contents into: Permanent garage storage / Return to house / Donate / Trash
- Move keepers downstairs to their permanent storage locations
- Loft is now clear and ready for flooring, finishing, and its intended use as office/theater/hangout
End State
- Shed rental cancelled
- House basement and storage areas decluttered
- Garage has only intentionally kept items in organized storage
- Loft is clear and ready for buildout
- You touched every item exactly once during its purge pass — no re-sorting
Items to Move In
From Rental Shed (10’x20’x8’)
- ~60 storage bins (27-gallon each)
- Go-kart
- Original Corvette parts (including bulky exhaust components)
- Various tools
- Additional miscellaneous items
From House
- Christmas decorations (including full-size tree)
- 4 bicycles
- Large snow blower
- Toys (significant quantity)
- Additional miscellaneous items
Inventory Needed
A full item-by-item inventory of both locations would help determine exact shelving/storage needs and inform what gets moved in Phase 1 vs. sorted in Phase 2.
Space Constraints
Available Garage Space
- Total footprint: 24’x40’ (960 sq ft)
- Bay 1: Wife’s daily driver
- Bay 2: Boat (MasterCraft Maristar 210) — year-round indoor storage
- Bay 3: Corvette / work bay with automotive lift
- Wall space and back wall: Primary permanent storage zone
- Loft (560 sq ft): Temporary staging during move-in phases; final use is office/theater/hangout — not for permanent bulk storage (see Loft Flooring Plan)
Storage-Available Areas (Permanent)
- Back wall behind vehicles
- Side walls (above workbench height)
- Ceiling/overhead (seasonal items)
- Mechanical room area (limited — see Mechanical Room)
- Between/around vehicle bays where clearance allows
Storage Volume Estimate
27-Gallon Bins (up to ~60 bins pre-purge)
- Bin dimensions (typical): ~30”L x 20”W x 15”H
- Per bin footprint: ~4.2 sq ft
- Stacked 3 high: ~20 stacks = ~84 sq ft of floor space
- Stacked on shelving (4-5 levels): ~12-15 shelf bays needed
- Post-purge estimate: Expect to reduce bin count significantly — plan shelving for what you keep, not what you start with
Large Items
| Item | Approx. Dimensions | Storage Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Go-kart | ~6’x3’ | Floor space, could tuck under workbench or along wall |
| Snow blower | ~3’x2’ | Near garage door for easy access |
| 4 bicycles | — | Wall-mount hooks or ceiling hoist |
| Christmas tree + decorations | Several bins + tree box | Overhead/ceiling storage or top shelf |
| Corvette exhaust + parts | Varies, bulky | Near lift bay or on dedicated parts shelf |
Storage Solutions to Consider
Timing
Don’t buy shelving until after purge passes are complete. The number of bins and items you actually keep will drive how much shelving you need. Wall and ceiling storage can be installed once walls are finished.
Shelving
- Heavy-duty steel shelving (e.g., 48”W x 24”D x 72”H, 5-tier) — holds 8-10 bins per unit stacked
- Estimate quantity needed: 6-8 shelving units minimum for bins alone (pre-purge estimate — likely less after purge)
- Wall-mounted options vs. freestanding (freestanding is more flexible)
Wall Storage
- Bicycle wall hooks or ceiling hoists (4 needed)
- Pegboard or slat wall for tools
- Wall-mounted brackets for long items (skis, lumber, etc.)
Overhead/Ceiling
- Ceiling-mounted storage racks for seasonal items (Christmas, etc.)
- Overhead platform storage in unused ceiling space between trusses
Floor Plan
- Create a layout showing vehicle positions, shelving runs, and access paths
- Ensure minimum 36” aisles for access
- Keep fire extinguisher locations clear — see Fire Extinguisher Plan
Phased Checklist
Phase 1: Bulk Transfer
- Identify first batch of items to move from shed → loft staging
- Identify first batch of items to move from house (basement) → loft staging
- Move items to loft — create working space at source locations
- Verify loft floor can handle load (3/4” OSB subfloor — distribute weight, avoid stacking too high)
Phase 2: Source Location Purge Passes
- Purge Pass 1 — Basement: Sort remaining house items (keep/donate/trash)
- Move “keep” items to garage
- Purge Pass 2 — Shed: Sort remaining shed items (keep/sell/donate/trash)
- Move “keep” items to garage
- Cancel shed rental
- Verify nothing left behind in shed
Phase 3: Loft Purge Pass
- Wait for garage main floor coating to cure
- Install shelving and wall/ceiling storage systems on main floor
- Purge Pass 3 — Loft: Sort all staged items (permanent storage/return to house/donate/trash)
- Move keepers downstairs to permanent storage locations
- Clear loft completely for finishing and buildout
Related Documents
- Corvette and Boat Restoration Planning — Bay layout and vehicle workflow
- Loft Flooring Plan — Loft is office/theater, not storage
- Mechanical Room — Mechanical room constraints
- Fire Extinguisher Plan — Keep access clear