Spring Clean Your Garage
If you are a homeowner, there is no denying that your garage is the room that collects the most clutter. From camping gear and sports equipment to power tools and garden supplies, your garage is the holding area for all your favorite weekend activities. The garage also holds things you don’t want to be brought indoors, like dirty boots and wet snowsuits. If you are a woodworker, an artist, or a mechanic, the garage may be the room where creativity comes to life. Without a garage, we wouldn’t have the space to support our hobbies, like converting that old Mercedes to biodiesel that uses cooking oil from the recycling center in Portland Oregon or constructing a bed frame out of reclaimed wood. The garage is the room that you travel through daily and is the first room you enter when you get home each day. The garage houses the space where your passions become reality, so it deserves to be well organized and clean.
Image: Dickoatts.com
Organize the Clutter
Since you use your garage daily, it collects a lot of stuff. Cleaning out your garage is not a small task, so set aside a whole day to get it accomplished. You don’t want to get partially done and have to leave your garage an unfinished mess. First, sort everything in the garage into piles of things you want to keep, things to sell or donate, and things that are garbage. Since a lot of equipment in your garage use oil or are electronic, broken or useless items will have to be disposed of at your county landfill. Donate things that you don’t have a need for that still work at your local Habitat for Humanity or thrift store. If your “give away” pile is big enough, consider having a yard sale so your neighbors can reap the benefits of gently-used gear or equipment at a low price. One thing to keep in mind is the efficiency of your equipment. Engine technology is constantly updated on equipment like mowers, weed wackers, and chainsaws like the ones from Gresham, OR, so if your engine is more than a couple years old it may be time to upgrade to a new model. The equipment they make today is more efficient and pollutes less than older models.
Space Plan and Reorganize
Once you know what you’re keeping, it is time to make a plan that maximizes the space in your garage. Items that you rarely use, or use only annually like ice salt or garden chemicals, can be stored on the highest shelves, where they are also safe from pets or children. Items that you use often, like bicycles and tools, should be more accessible. The best way to store a bike is from hooks on the ceiling. Other organization tips include buying bins to store all your camping equipment in one and all your garden supplies in another. Label the bins accordingly and store them under your workbench or on shelves. Another way to organize in a garage is with a pegboard. Put hooks on a pegboard to store things vertically. Hammers, roller skates, and tennis rackets are great examples of things to store on the wall. Maximize the space without looking cluttered, and get as much off the ground as possible. This will ensure you have room to park your car and space to work on your hobby. If you are interested in deep cleaning your garage, make an appointment with Mama Ducks Cleaning Service and I have a great experience in working with them.
Related:
Garage Organization and Cleaning
Organizing For a Successful Garage Sale
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