Garages tend to be catchalls for the stuff we otherwise don’t know what to do with. For the most part, this approach works, as it’s both out of the way and rarely seen by guests. With that said, your garage’s cleanliness can easily get out of hand. So how do you make sure you don’t need to spend a full day every year cleaning out your garage? Here are a few helpful tips!
Put in Shelving
One of the main reasons we have overcrowded garages is because we have a ton of belongings and no place to put them. And when there’s no organization, the garage quickly becomes a place with piles of junk.
So, as a first step, put in some shelving. If you’re handy, you can build shelves directly into your garage walls. Or, you can purchase self-standing shelving and push it up against a wall. From here, put your belongings into clearly marked bins to store on the shelves.
Think Before You Store
It makes sense to store lawn mowers, yard tools, outdoor toys, and furniture in your garage. But sometimes, we use the space for items that belong inside the house, but we just don’t have room for them.
Clutter is never a good thing. So before you decide to store an item in your garage, make sure you actually want and need it. Are you ever going to use that item again? If yes, how often? Is it a usable keepsake or just something you’re having trouble saying goodbye to?
Sweep It Up
There’s no need to clean your garage as you would your house. (If you’re vacuuming up the garage floor, you’re probably taking spring cleaning a step too far.) That said, you should still keep your garage relatively clean. This means you need to periodically sweep the floors, dust away cobwebs, and spot clean any problem areas to ensure your garage is an acceptable level of dirty.
Utilize Hooks
Just like shelves are essential to staying organized in the garage, hooks can really help keep your belongings in their proper places.
If you have items such as brooms, weed trimmers, and step ladders leaning against a wall or laying on the ground, you’re losing out on space you could be using to store other things. Consider placing some hooks on the walls of your garage, and you can hang those belongings out of your way.
Keep Bugs Away
Finally, garages are always home to bugs. There’s almost no avoiding it! But if you let bugs take over your garage, they can become a problem for the interior of your home as well. Wipe away cobwebs, rely on bug-killing remedies, and keep a general eye on the creepy crawlies in your garage. It’s better to be ahead of the problem than be overwhelmed by it.
Garages are not meant to be spotless locations. But they can easily be kept cleaner and better maintained. So, before you toss all of your nonessential belongings against the wall, use these helpful tips to ensure you’re making the most of your space while also keeping it as clean as possible.