A Blog About Spring Cleaning and Getting Organized – No Really, It Is!
For far too many of us, living in a home with a garage, even a two or sometimes three car garage, it has become a place for “stuff” to gather rather than a home for what really belongs there – our cars! We know folks who have turned at least half their garage space into a second living room of sorts, others who are using them strictly for storage and even some who have turned this “additional space” into a book nook, a man cave or simply the place where sports equipment goes to die!
Regardless of how you use the garage today, we’re here to remind you that just like fine wine and cheese pairings, a garage and your car belong together. Now that spring is here, you might want to take advantage of the weather to get everything outside, cleaned up, organized and ready not just for spring, but for all year long.
We mentioned last blog that spring is traditionally a time for cleaning and getting organized and we gave you some homework to do – inside. This is because we know the weather is occasionally problematic in April.
As we close in towards the end of April however, and the weather is warming up, we’re gearing up here at thE Concierge to provide tips, tools and even our services if you’re interested, on how to get your garage in order and while you’re at it – get the kids to help clean out your car(s) as well!
If you’ve got a garage…..
Professional organizers, you might be surprised to learn, don’t always advocate investing in storage containers before a project begins. Sorting out a garage might be one of the rare times we make an exception and encourage you to buy some.
For the handyperson, you might want to also invest in some sturdy, open shelving, a pegboard and possibly a few strong, sturdy hooks too. We’ll talk about that more in a bit.
Tackling a garage will require planning. It’s also going to require some effort! Take a look at the weather first and foremost because to do this job effectively you’ll probably need to take your “stuff” out of your garage in order to be able to organize and “rehome” it appropriately.
Once the garage is empty, map out “zones.” Zones are an important consideration when it comes to garages. Consider things like:
Sports equipment
Bikes, helmets
Winter outdoor activities – skis, toboggans, skates etc.
Tools (separate them “by use” including whether they are for in-home repairs or outdoor garden work)
Camping or other outdoor equipment (if you’re an outdoor enthusiast)
All of these various items should be housed together in the same zone making it easier for anyone looking for a specific item.
Look up and all around you. Garages have plenty of storage space and can still house a car (or two) if you consider ALL the available space they offer. Walls and ceilings, and perhaps even a loft built above your garage doors (if space allows) all offer an opportunity for storage.
Consider those large hooks I spoke of earlier. They are a great opportunity to get bikes off the garage floor and stored either on the wall or by hanging them from the ceiling. Using similar tooling we know someone who has two kayaks mounted on one wall with room for their convertible to be parked underneath. It can be done!
Pegboards are super for hanging and organizing tools and make accessing them a breeze.
Consider also mounting all of your lawn tools simply by drilling a small hole in each so they can be hung up. It’s a perfect solution for avoiding the jumble of rakes, shovels and trimmers that can clutter up a corner!
When it comes to shelving or storage here are two extra hints:
Consider wire shelving and wire baskets. It will help to ensure the items they contain stay clearly visible.
If you’re using totes – make sure they care clearly labelled and stacked according to their frequency of use. As an example, don’t stack the holiday ornaments on top when they are only used once a year!
There are a variety of products available on the market to help make garage storage a breeze but if you’re handy, you can build a lot of these suggestions yourself.
The key is in the planning. Take the time to clear the clutter; discard or donate items that your family no longer needs and then map out those zones – including a space for at least one of your cars!
When you get organized, it’s amazing how much “extra” space suddenly becomes available for you to use the garage for it’s intended use; keeping you car free of snow and ice in winter and cool, dry and free of bird poop and tree blossom droppings in spring and summer!
If all this sounds like a lot of hard work and you’d rather enjoy a day off with a pairing of some fine wine and cheeses, consider giving thE Concierge a call, organization and helping people find balance is in our nature!
Happy Spring!
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