Don't get bogged down in debris.

Byline: GARDENING By Sarah Robertson The Register-Guard

Our 74-year-old eccentric bungalow has many wonderful qualities, but sufficient storage isn't one of them.

There's no basement and, thanks to a 1988 renovation project that joined the once-separate garage to our main house, our car and truck continue to live outside.

My husband has since built a charming garden/workshop to house tools and garden paraphernalia, but it's a constant battle to keep scooters, basketballs and other kid gear from cluttering it up. Camping equipment, holiday supplies, seasonal clothing and photographs are stored on shelving in the upstairs family room, while bikes, extra dishes and bulky things like Easter baskets are kept in a storage area just off our master bedroom.

At least twice a year, we weed through everything in an effort to reduce, recycle or toss. Overall, we've done a pretty good job of keeping major clutter at bay. But basic organization is still an issue; this year, I'm determined to do something about it.

A place for everything

Our mothers were right: putting things back where they belong saves time and whines!

Wasting valuable daylight hunting for a trowel, a specific rake or even a pair of work gloves is not only ridiculously frustrating, it's also unnecessary.

The key to organization is to create storage solutions that fit your lifestyle. If, for example, you like to open the back door and immediately wander off to dig or deadhead, you'll feel much happier if your supplies are close at hand. Consider which tools and gadgets you use most often, then devise a storage system that puts them nearby.

Such a system needn't be complicated. A five-gallon bucket fitted with canvas sleeves and stuffed with a trowel, hand pruners, twist-ties, string, flexible gloves and a hat is low tech, lightweight and fits neatly near a door.

Hooks secured to a board, then attached to a wall, provide a fast, classic way to hang frequently-used trowels, pruners and hand weeders. Paint the board a contrasting color and it instantly becomes wall art.

A shelf that sits on the ground or is attached to the wall can hold all kinds of useful gear. And it's certainly not something you need to purchase new.

Look to garage sales, consignment stores or even your own basement for solutions that need little more than a good scrubbing or fresh color to become attractive storage accents. Set tools directly on the shelves or use various sizes of woven baskets to store everything from copper plant tags to slug bait.

Even old dressers can be sanded, painted and fitted with inexpensive yet useful dividers, then set near a door (preferably beneath an overhang) for functional storage that is both charming and tidy. Attach oversize drawer knobs made from discarded trowels that have been sanded, then spray-painted. Set old wooden or metal trays on top to corral potential clutter or use the space to display your collection of floral arrangement frogs, terra cotta pots, old watering cans or bird houses.

Sheds, basements and garages can make more effective use of available space by incorporating shelves, wall units, stackable bins and even garbage cans, which can be set on a slant and placed beneath a workspace to provide easy access for fertilizers and soils.

If a number of tools are being stored on a wall, take the time to slap a label beneath each hook. You may think you'll remember what goes where, but a label allows anyone who uses that tool to return it to its proper home.

Gardeners with larger properties often are quite resourceful when it comes to storage. Galvanized metal mailboxes make excellent storage facilities for smaller garden gadgets. They can be secured to a post, dead stump or fence, thereby eliminating time-consuming jaunts to the main tool repository.

Ah, but remember: Everything doesn't need a place

Successful organization does have one very important component: eliminating the unnecessary. Do you really need three pairs of identical garden boots? At least toss the ones that leak! And what about those cracked ceramic pots - are you really going to break them up to make a mosaic top for that outdoor coffee table?

Old garden chemicals (call your local sanitation company to find out where - and when - to dispose), ruined hoses, broken rakes, half-empty bags of fertilizer ... well, you get the drift. It's impossible to keep everything and maintain your sanity.

Clearing out and sorting requires a clear head and a tough disposition. Pick a day when you're feeling bold, determined and inspired, then get to work.

Set aside tools and supplies used on a regular basis. Have a discard pile for anything that's broken or beyond repair. You also can sort out another pile of less frequently used - but still important - items and then a final collection of things to donate to friends or local community gardens.

Unsure how to corral everything? Those large, plastic leaf bags hold a lot and the drawstring handles make for easy dragging when loads get heavy.

Sarah Robertson of Eugene writes a weekly gardening column.