This month is the perfect time to plan and start the deep cleaning of your home. In our previous article we have shared with you a list of 7 amazing eco-friendly recipes to try this Spring. We have also posted a few articles on green and safe DIY Spring Cleaning solutions and detergents for the whole house – find them here. If your garage has turned into a chaotic, messy storage space and needs thorough cleaning and organisation, this article will help you deal with the task fast and easy.
Why Including Your Garage Into Your Spring Cleaning Routine?
Most of us store sports equipment, summer clothes, garden furniture and tools in the garage. The result is – a chaotic mess where you can’t find anything! Spring is the best time to clean your home and garage! Take advantage of the warm weather outside and open the doors and windows! You can take your time to deal with the mess and dirt without freezing up. Read our step-by-step guide and deal with the garage cleaning and organisation like a pro!
Step 1: Take Everything Out
If there are big piles of tools, equipment and unidentified objects it will be impossible to start organising! Pick a good day and take everything out. Distribute the content of the garage in several different piles – one for tools, one – for garden furniture and your barbeque grill, another – for suitcases and clothes, and so on. This is the most time consuming task – it can take more than a day if you are doing it all by yourself. Call a friend, or ask your family to help you.
Step 2: Decide What to Keep
In our experience, after you empty the garage, you always find things you don’t need or don’t want anymore. Broken equipment, old clothes and shoes, that juicer you got for Christmas 5 years ago and have never used. Once everything is out you can decide what to keep, what to throw away and what to donate.
Step 3: Vacuum and Clean Inside the Garage
Most people think that this is the hard part of the task, but actually, once everything is out, cleaning is easy! Sweep the floor to collect the large chunks of garbage then vacuum thoroughly in order to pick up all the dust and dirt. Remove the cobwebs and clean the windows. Wipe the dust off the shelves.
Step 4: Wash the Garage Floor
In some cases you may need to wash the garage floor as well. The best way to do it is with industrial grade steam cleaner. You can rent one, or hire professional cleaners to do the job for you. However, if you regularly clean your garage, washing the floor with the garden hose will be enough.
Step 5: Clean Everything Before Putting it Back
Before you start putting tools, equipment and boxes back you need to check if they need cleaning too. Most of the times you will have to vacuum your stuff and wipe them with slightly damp cloth to clean the dust. Garden furniture can be rinsed with garden hose. You can do the same with plastic containers. Leave everything to dry completely before returning it back into your garage.
Step 6: Re-Think Your Organisation System
We assume that if you are reading so far, than probably your old organisation system wasn’t working out very well for you. Now that the place is clean and everything is out, it is the best moment to make place for everything. If you don’t have any plan in particular, you can check some home interior blogs and sites on the Internet – they are indispensable source of helpful ideas. This step may seem unnecessary, however planning the organisation of your garage will help you clean and maintain it much easily in the future.
Step 7: Divide the Space into Different Zones
Designate at least a few areas and keep different things according to their purpose. For instance – camping zone for sleeping bags, tourist shoes, tents, backpacks; workshop zone for tools, old boxes of paints, brushes and other home improvement equipment: sports zone – for all your athletic gear, running shoes and fitness clothes and accessories etc. Creating different zones will make finding what you need faster and easier. Also, it will be a lot simpler to put back the stuff you are not using.
Step 8: Opt for Optimal Use of Space
Install as many new shelves and rails as you can. Use ceiling and wall space too – you can place all the small stuff like screws, bolts, nuts and nails in boxes on shelves and label them. Next time you need these things you won’t loose time finding them. Installing rails is also a space-saving idea. You can buy S hooks and hang clothes, different tools and other equipment on the rails. Install one wide shelf across the walls close to the ceiling. It makes perfect storage space for bigger items you don’t use very often – boxes of seasonal clothes and shoes, thick blankets, suitcases and so on.
Step 9: Organise a Garage Sale! (Optional)
Now that your garage looks amazing it is time to organise a garage sale! This is probably the most fun and satisfying way to get rid of all the stuff you can’t throw away or donate! Pick a nice day and, fire up the barbeque and invite friends and neighbours. What better ending to a Spring Cleaning than a garage sale + BBQ?
Cleaning up messy garage can be a daunting task, although when you see the place impeccably cleaned and organised you will be sure it was worth the effort! Nevertheless, it is a wise decision to ask you family for help or call a friend. Last, but not least, you can always hire local cleaners to help you out with the garage cleaning routine this spring.
