The main thing with maintaining a sourdough starter is consistency in your feeding schedule. I feed mine every morning around the same time and it responds much better than when I was irregular about it. The temperature really does matter and I found that placing it on top of the fridge gives a stable warm spot.

You want to see bubbles and a pleasant sour smell not anything sharp or acetone like. If it gets too sour you can increase the feeding ratio or switch to a cooler spot. Using a kitchen scale makes it much easier to maintain the right proportions.

I keep 50 grams of starter and feed it 50 grams each of flour and water. That keeps the discard manageable and the starter healthy. The discard works great for pancakes or crackers and you can find plenty of simple recipes that use it up quickly. Just make sure you are keeping track of how much you are removing so your starter stays balanced.

I think the best approach for garage organization is to start with a clear floor and work in zones. I grouped all the automotive stuff together in one corner and put the gardening tools on the opposite wall. Heavy items go on lower shelves and things I use often stay within easy reach.

The key is to measure everything before you buy storage solutions because the dimensions vary a lot. I almost bought shelves that were too wide for the space I had. Labeling the bins clearly saves time later even if it feels unnecessary while you are setting up.

I used a simple label maker but masking tape and a marker work just as well. The whole project took about a full weekend but now everything has a place and I can find what I need in seconds. The next step is adding a pegboard for frequently used hand tools so they are always visible and accessible.