So now that the snow is leaving it’s time to get at all those fun summer toys in your garage….but of course it’s piled behind a winter’s worth of stuff that has built up over the past 6 months. Time to clean it up. Here is some expert advice on tackling the spring cleaning.
- Take Inventory – Choose a day where you will have some time and pull everything out of the garage. Yes everything. You want to assess what you have and need. You will likely be surprised at how much you stuff you have that you no longer use, or even remember why it was there in the first place. Sort it into recyclable and garbage and what can be donated. One person’s throwaway is another person’s treasure remember.
- Choosing what to keep – This can be a tough step for people The idea that one day I’m going to need that is a misconception. If you haven’t needed it for the past 3 years the one day you will is unlikely to happen. And chances are if you do need it you can go out and get it again. If you haven’t used it get rid of it.
- Organize your stuff – It’s always been the intention to have things where you need them but it can get out of control when things just get thrown around. Take the time to set out what items get used the most and you need access to most frequently. Set aside parts of the garage for different items – garden tools in one area, summer toys and sporting equipment in another, and so on. If everything has a
specific place then when it comes time to put it away you know where it goes and that makes it easier to keep the garage tidy and avoids losing items because it’s been misplaced. - Clean it all – With everything out of the garage, it is a perfect time to get into all the corners and shelves and give your garage and good cleaning. It will make it everything just look shiny and great.
- Label everything – As you put stuff back take the time to get the label maker, (or even just some masking tape and a felt pen), and put a name on everything. There is nothing worse than coming across an unmarked box 6 months from now and not having a clue what might be inside. Keeping things labelled means just one quick scan will tell you where to find that item you are looking for.
Now that everything is neat and tidy, you will find you have plenty of room for your car now. Something your garage may not have been used for in the first place.
