Five Things That Will Make Cleaning Your Garage A Breeze
Garages are a popular item in homes, especially newer builds. According to the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy, 71% of new construction homes had a garage included in the build. More than half of older homes also have a garage, making it a popular part of American houses. But for many, the garage is the spot where everything without a place seems to end up. Whether it's seasonal items, holiday decor, sports equipment, or household items without a proper spot inside the house, your garage can quickly fill up — and can easily turn into a giant mess that is hard to clean.
If you've finally had enough of your messy garage space, you may be feeling overwhelmed by the idea of cleaning and organizing it. But, according to Family Handyman, if you put your mind to it, cleaning out your garage can be done in one weekend if you follow some must-do tips.
Get everything out before you begin cleaning and organizing
We've all been there: We have an item in our home that we can't bring ourselves to throw away, but have no place for it. So where does it end up? Somewhere in the depths of our garage. If this sounds familiar, it's time to get rid of things. Before you can clean your garage, you'll need to get everything out of it. Rescue My Time Cleaning Service recommends putting everything you want to keep out on the driveway so you can get a clear view of your space.
Declutter your space
As you move everything outside, start the decluttering process. Rescue My Time Cleaning Service recommends creating three different piles for things to keep, throw away, and donate or sell. If you have trouble deciding what stays and what goes, Living Well Spending Less says to consider whether or not you've used an item in the last year. If the answer is no, it's time to throw it out, donate it, or sell it.
Once your items have been sorted, it's time to start cleaning.
Organize all the must-keep items with storage solutions
If you want to keep your garage clean and organized for the long haul, there are certain things that will make cleaning your garage super easy. After you've mopped the floors and wiped down the bins, The Family Handyman recommends DIY-ing some storage solutions to keep your garage neat and tidy.
Their first recommendation is to use wire shelving, which is an inexpensive and easy way to keep your items sorted and off the ground. They also recommend building storage towers to house your larger bins instead of stacking them on top of each other, making it easy to access your bins when needed. These towers can be built on your own with a little bit of elbow grease.
Make sure every item in your garage has a designated space
The best way to keep your garage clean is to make sure everything has a spot. Living Well Spending Less recommends using trash cans for sports balls and equipment, and clear jars or a peg board on the wall for tools. If a lot of your garage space is taken up by holiday decorations, The Family Handyman suggests using canvas bags to store them. They are especially useful for artificial trees and wreaths. One key benefit is that they keep dust and bugs away — plus, they don't take up much space.
Use your ceiling for storage
The final garage cleaning hack is to use your ceiling for storage. The Family Handyman suggests building a track on the ceiling that can hold bins. This will create so much space on your garage floor that you may actually be able to fit a car in there! Living Well Spending Less recommends using ceiling hooks for larger items like kayaks and bikes. Those items can be bulky and hard to store, so putting them on your ceiling is a great way to get them out of the way while still keeping them close by.
If these hacks have you feeling motivated to clean, get outside and get started! Find a weekend when the weather looks nice and roll up your sleeves — it's time to get organized.