With the recent global pandemic outbreak, the whole world seems to be obsessed with cleaning. Whether it’s thoroughly cleaning or disinfecting high-touch surfaces, home hygiene appears to be more important than ever. However, while going from room to room, it’s easy to forget the dumping ground of every home – the garage. They, along with attics and basements, are among the least organized spaces and seem to be neglected in most households. But, with spring cleaning upon us, why not change it this year and learn how to organize your garage properly? Read on and we’ll tell you how to clean and organize your garage.
Decluttering comes first
As with any serious cleaning project, it’s always best to start from square one. That means emptying out the space entirely and reimagining it. The best way to go about this project is to include family members or friends and divide the labor. But, in order to organize your garage, you need to make sure it doesn’t stay as cluttered as it originally was. Now, if your garage is one of those things in your home you’ve probably never cleaned, it’s probably littered with useless items. To separate the wheat from the chaff, we suggest using the four-pile method. Essentially, you want to sort all your belongings based on whether you’ll be selling, donating, keeping, or tossing them. Oh, and don’t fall into the trap of keeping things just because you may use them one day. If they were sitting in some corner for over a year and you’ve forgotten you had them, be ruthless and throw them away.
Decluttering, after all, is all about creating more space and making items more accessible. With this in mind, emotional attachment to material items is really only going to sabotage the order you’re trying to create.
Scrub it clean
Since the garage space is empty, this is a perfect opportunity to power wash the floor. Oil stains discourage many people, so they simply give up on trying to remove them, but don’t make the mistake of thinking that only if moving do you need to take extra steps to rub them off. And don’t stop there – refresh the rest of the garage as well. The good news is that you can use the products you already have in your home and not spend money on special cleaners. It all comes down to knowing the proper cleaning tips that actually work. Here’s an example of how you can divide the cleaning process when you decide to organize your garage, starting from top to bottom:
- dusting off and wiping down cabinets, shelves, and walls
- sweeping and then hosing off the floor
- wipe away mold with bleach or vinegar mixed in warm water
- clear motor oil stains using a mixture of cat litter and dish detergent
- inspect for pests and apply pesticides
Of course, if you feel like this is too big of a project for you, there’s always the option of hiring cleaning services in Dallas.
Find a garage organization system that works best
Now that you’ve used our spring cleaning hacks and your garage space is all shiny and sparkling, it’s time to make a rearrangement of the remaining belongings. The key here is to divide the available space into smaller sections where different items will be stored. This way, you’ll have an area designated only for holiday decorations, seasonal clothes, activities, and so on. That said, try and concentrate on one zone at a time, so you don’t get overwhelmed. A great tip during this process is to group the supplies according to the zones, so you don’t lose time sorting through the piles. Another great piece of advice is, simply – prioritizing. If you have shelves, then put the items you use the least on the top drawers. That way, the items you actually need will be more accessible to you and you won’t need ladders to reach them.
Also, consider going green with how you store your items. Basically, you can recycle old bins and boxes instead of buying new ones. Get creative and use old glass jars for storing small items or screwing the wall bow rake to the wall as a place to hang your garden tools.
Maximizing the space
Up until now, we’ve been mentioning the garage as if it’s a space solely used for storing belongings. However, this is rarely the case, as the central part of most garages is occupied by a vehicle. The most sensible option, in this case, is to rent a storage unit and let a moving company like movage-moving.com transfer your items safely. But if your garage still has some potential, then it’s essential you use the space efficiently. If you feel tight on square footage, pegboards are definitely the ultimate solution. They are a great way to organize your garage in a way that leaves you enough space to walk around. Storage shelves can also do the trick where the floor space is mostly freed up. For additional space, you can install a folding table as well. As a last resort, you can utilize the space above garage doors, too. This can be your go-to in case you decide to declutter your home some other time. Planning ahead and freeing up space while constantly throwing old items away is the best strategy that works in the long run.
Keep it tidy
Once you’ve followed the previous steps, you’ll be left with a clean and more organized space. But chaos can find its way back if you don’t put any effort into keeping it in order. That’s why it’s important to sort new things immediately upon bringing them to the garage. If you clean and organize your garage and adhere to the categorization system you’ve set, you’ll find it’s much simpler to get around in there. Other than keeping the space orderly, spraying for pests from time to time is equally important. Ideally, you should repeat the process and clean and organize your garage every year. The result will be a well-kept space where your precious belongings will be as safe as they can be.
Author bio: Martha Jacobs is a renowned SEO expert specializing in the topics of relocation and storage solutions. She runs the websites of various NYC moving and storage companies and serves as a facilitator between the clients and the businesses. Her goal is to inform the public about the ins and outs of the process.
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