Remember when garages were actually used to park cars? According to LA Times it is estimated that 25% of homes with a two-car garage aren’t able to park their cars in them. Wouldn’t it be nice to park your car in your garage? The advantages are so great; privacy, security, convenience, protecting you and your car from the elements, the list goes on. Guess what…you can. The time has finally come to clean out your garage.
Have you put it off and put it off for far too long? Talked about it, scheduled it and rescheduled it? These are clear indicators that you are likely overdue to clean out the garage. Does this sound familiar? You have every intention of forging ahead but something always seems to stop you? You open the garage door, you see all the things inside and you cringe? But you have no idea where to start. Here are step by step instructions on how to clean out your garage, effortlessly.
PREPARING
- First, set a firm date for the clean out.
- Next, gather the supplies you will need. That includes garbage bags/trash cans/recycling bins, storage bins, boxes, gloves and a broom.
- Now, the actual cleaning out.
DOING
- For optimum success, there is one cardinal rule that should be adhered to. Only touch an item once, commit to making a decision about the item then and there. No going back to revisit.
- Start the clean out process by removing the items from the garage.
- Sort items in the driveway. They should be sorted into three categories: garbage, donate/sell, and keep. Keep like items together based on the three categories. When the garage is empty, you should have three sections in your driveway.
- The garbage. Dispose of the trash/recyclables right away. What doesn’t fit in your waste containers should be hauled off same day. If you anticipate a lot of waste, consider renting a dumpster or hiring a junk removal company. The key is getting it to its final destination the same day so it doesn’t find its way back into your garage or the side of your house or the yard.
- The donate/sell items. Put the items you want to donate/sell into their respective boxes. If possible, drop these off the same day or make an appointment to have them picked up asap. The same process applies to the sell items.
- The Keep Items. Stack the bins on shelves if you have them and arrange them neatly. Keep like items together. Holiday items should all be stored together, sports equipment all together, bikes and scooters together, etc. If you keep excess food items in the garage, make sure they are in airtight bins or on shelves off of the floor to keep bugs and mice out.
There you have it. Your easy guide to cleaning out and organizing your garage. Enjoy the process. You’ll be thrilled with the results.