Keeping your living space clean and organized has many benefits including reduced stress, exposure to mold and bacteria and risk of injury. These benefits go hand-in-hand with keeping your garage clean also. So if you missed out on your spring cleaning, head outside and give your family the gift of a clean garage this holiday season. With these organizational ideas, you are sure to make plenty of room for all of those new toys!
Plan & Clean First
The first step to cleaning your garage is to remove the clutter. Go through everything and throw away whatever junk you find. If you have trouble parting with some objects, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure! Feel free to donate anything so it can find a new home somewhere else.
Clear off the floor and give it a thorough sweeping. This will give you an idea of how much space you have to work with. Also, this is a great time to paint the walls if you’d like. Next, take a few measurements while the floor is clean and draw up a simple blueprint of your garage. Now you know what your limitations are and can plan where items will go.
Bins Over Boxes
Cardboard boxes are a favorite for many people simply because they are cheap. Most often when people move to a new home, the cardboard boxes are repurposed for storage purposes. The problem with cardboard is that it can break down over time and rodents can even chew holes through them. Think about switching to plastic bins. They stack easier, last longer and usually come with a seal-tight lid to keep dust, bugs and other critters away.
Shelving Units & Cabinets
Keeping your floor clear is what will give you space for your car. That being said, look to place shelving units along your walls. They can hold any boxes or bins while keeping them off the ground and out of the way. Same goes for cabinets. You don’t need custom cabinetry here. There are many pre-made cabinets that can be easily hung on the wall. There are also tall, ground-level cabinets that are essentially shelving units with doors. Cabinets are perfect for storing cleaning supplies, sports equipment and tools.
Utilize Your Vertical Space
One of the best places to store items in your garage is your ceiling. It’s a large space with few restrictions. Look into placing hooks that can hold bikes, lawn equipment and other hangable objects. If your ceiling has beams across it, placing plywood across them is a great idea. This would turn them into shelves for more storage space. Whatever you choose to do with your ceiling, be sure to check the clearance so your garage can still open/close and your vehicle can fit underneath.
Label Everything
Once everything is organized and put away, make sure you know where everything has moved too. Go through with some tape and a marker, or a label maker, and write what is in each box, cabinet and drawer. This will assure things won’t be misplaced once they are taken out as well as prevent you from just tossing stuff anywhere.
Always Be Prepared!
Along with keeping your garage clean, make sure it remains in working condition as well. If something goes wrong, give Motor City Door a call. With over 40 years of experience of working with commercial and residential garages in Metro Detroit, we can do it all. From maintenance to masonry work and more, we’ve got you covered. Give us a call today at (586) 501-5874 for your free quote!
