For most people, the garage is not only the place where they keep their car, but also the storage for keeping old furniture, seasonal clothes, things no longer or rarely in use, etc.
And we all know how messy and cluttered the garage can get – you will find something you need in the last place you look. Instead of delaying any longer, start taking action and turn your dreary garage into a tidy storage that will never cause headache again.
Always Plan Before Attacking
Cleaning a messy garage sometimes resembles a small battlefield. Well, just like in combat, you need the perfect plan. Draw the scheme of your garage and divide it into sections, each of which will serve a specific purpose. It is a good idea to determine how each area can be used as the space for extra storage.
While doing so, do not forget about the ceiling – you can use it for hanging the garden tools for instance, or containers with the things no longer in use which you do not want to get rid of yet. Make plans on what to clean first and which area to move on to later. Knowing your target will make the cleaning much faster.
Categorize Everything Stored In The Garage
Make 3 categories: what to keep, what to sell or donate and what to throw away. If you have emotional attachments over a certain object and cannot decide whether to keep it or discard it, make a rule. If the object has not been used for the past few years, throw it away. So get started.
Bring everything out of the garage and divide the items according to the predetermined categories. Take special care before disposing. If there are hazardous items like old paint or motor oil, contact the city to find the perfect spot for disposal.
In case of the items to keep, divide them into subcategories. Place hammers, lawnmowers, ladders in tools, lighting and electrical equipment in holiday decorations and other categories like camping, cleaning equipment, luggage etc. into the appropriate containers, boxes and bins with tight closing lids, especially for seasonal clothes or dangerous materials and substances that can evaporate or emit strong odour.
Install shelves in the garage to keep small items – this will save a lot of space. Here, certain types of trolleys can really come in handy, since not only can you move them around, but you can also keep a lot of things on them.
Move Everything In And Arrange It Properly
Time to move everything. The plan which you made earlier will come in handy now. First of all, decide where to keep your car and move it in. Next, place all the small tools and equipment on the shelves. Put the larger items in the storage bins and containers and place them along the wall.
Do not forget to label each and every container and also maintain a list where you will note down where you have placed each item. Athough it seems now that once you need something, you will remember where you have placed it, keeping a list cartainly simpifies the search.
Don’t Forget to Add Some Fun
While everyone agrees this is a tedious task, it does not mean it is impossible to make it less of a bore. If you invite your friends over and do this with some music on, time will pass more quickly and you will have more fund decluttering the garage. Plus, they might have some useful and practical ideas on the spot. Just make sure you do not upset the neighbours!
Author Bio: Tim Phillips spends most of his free time reading about ways of life improvement, including various financial topics, home improvement and healthy living. He also gladly shares his findings through blogging.