Take Back Your Garage for Once and for All
If you are a homeowner, then you know how easy it is for your garage to transform into a storage space instead of a place to keep your car. You may find your garage gradually becoming so full of things that have no space in your house that you may even lack space for your car. If you have reached this point, then it is probably time for a garage cleaning. Garage maintenance can seem intimidating but if you follow some guidelines, it can be easier to do.
Remove Everything
Before decluttering the garage, you first need to try to figure out what is where. Start with a specific area of your garage and just start going through it. Lay it all out and start working. This makes it easy to work while enabling you to see how much storage space you have in your garage. Take anything out that you’re not going to keep so you can see how much more space you’re getting.
Decide What to Keep
Once most of the junk is removed you need to start identifying what you DO want to keep. As you decide what you will keep in your garage and what you will toss or donate, ask yourself whether you were keeping an item for a specific reason or because you did not know what to do with it. If you do not know what to do with an item, it is advisable to either get rid of it or find uses for it. Items you should keep when cleaning your garage include tools you can borrow or rent, anything in working condition and items you have not used more than once in within the year. If you’re holding onto things for sentimental reasons, look into getting bins or some other better storage option for it.
What to Do With Clutter
Anything you do not keep is obviously just in the way, so you should not let it stay in your garage. Ensure you have plastic bags, plastic bins, or cardboard boxes on hand to help you pack donation items to move them out of the way. Anything you will not donate will go in plastic bags or boxes to toss in a dumpster. DON’T let them sit around to “take them one day”, take them now and get it all gone.
Deep Cleaning
After completely cleaning out your garage, it is advisable to clean it thoroughly before putting anything back. You’ll never be at a better starting point than you are right now. Ideally, you should clean your garage starting from the top and ending at the bottom. Dust off and wipe down the cabinets, shelves, or other surfaces. Wipe the walls and doors in the garage with mild household detergent and a damp cloth. Sweep the garage floor to get rid of dust and then mop or hose off the floor. Allow the room to dry before putting things in.
Organize the Garage
Once you’ve got what you want to keep and removed the rest – it’s time to get organized and stay organized once and for all. Put things where you’ll be able to remember them, make room for cars that you never had before, take back YOUR garage.