Organise That Garage!
The garage. Maybe you park your car inside it, maybe not. But chances are, if you have one, it’s messy. Maybe you don’t have a garage, but instead you have a shed, storage unit, or basement space that is in the same condition: overfull, disorganized and an eyesore. It nags at you whenever you look at it. It cries “Clean me.”
Or maybe a senior citizen friend or family member needs some help in cleaning and organizing their living or storage space.
Here are some tips for tacking that messy dumping ground. You’ll feel so good when the job is done.
Identify a day or several half days when the whole family can attack the problem.
Remove vehicles or other large items such as boats or campers.
Once you have room to work, begin to sort like items. You may have a group for yard and garden maintenance, car maintenance, tools, paint supplies, holiday storage, sporting equipment and more.
Once you have items grouped, go through each pile and sort for things you’ll keep, things you’ll donate or sell and things that will go in the trash. Place trash items outside the area so they have no chance of staying.
Go through everything, even packed boxes. It’s time to de-clutter and downsize. Be ruthless.
If you don’t already have it, invest in storage units so you can replace items in a neat and orderly way.
Safely dispose of expired chemicals, paint, and anything else that may pose a health hazard.
Once the area is organized and the floor areas are bare, take the time to sweep, vacuum or mop the area.
Check for vermin or insect damage and treat accordingly.
Be sure there is a fire extinguisher in the area in case of fire.
Follow up immediately on taking donation items, recycle items and the like to their disposal sites. If you decide on a garage sale, place items neatly in a safe, dry area and put the sale on your calendar right away. You’ve won the battle of the dreaded storage area. Go ahead and sit back with a tall, cool drink. You’ve earned
