Clean Sweep Your Garage

The garage is the biggest clutter magnet in your home. It is a place where things aren’t typically in your way and so you allow it to be a little more messy. Most individuals are unhappy with their garages because of over-accumulation and minimal storage. Here are some ways to transform your garage into a functional and good-looking space.

Cleaning out the garage is the perfect way to get your family together. Make a date for this clean out and let your children know far in advance to avoid any conflicts in their schedules. Prepare by building up a supply of garbage bags, boxes, tape and marking pens. Make sure to mark storage cartons clearly and specifically. For example, label a box “Tax Returns: 1998-2001” rather than just “Business.”

Now that you and your family are ready to clean, divide everything into the following categories: donate/sell, fix, keep, and throw away. Also create a section for any items that you’re not sure what you are going to do with. To dispose of furniture and hazardous items such as car batteries, motor oil, pesticides and paint will require special arrangements with the local sanitation department.

Getting junk off the ground is a big step toward making the garage look more organized. Create a storage room with industrial shelving and look for old bookcases at yard sales. Use old cabinets with doors to store paints, solvents and cleaning supplies, which are dangerous for children. Consider locking these cabinets for safety.

Add shelf space in a jiffy using just four lengths of chain and eight hooks. Fasten one hook to each corner of the plank and one hook to a corresponding spot in the ceiling or beam above, and then slip the chains into place.

Hanging tools on nails attached to the wall is also a trendy, unique usage of a toolbox. Ladders can be hung from rafters and bikes can be hung from the walls. You could also use an old golf bag for long-handled tools such as shovels and rakes, or hang them individually from hooks or grabber holders.

Now that your garage is clean, try to keep it that way. Many people clean out their garages and then a month later, it’s a complete disaster area again. When your garage is clean you will find that life is so much easier. Especially since you’ll never have to wonder what you did with your child’s baseball glove.