Spring cleaning your garage in four easy steps
Step One: Discard.
Get rid of anything you no longer use or need. Oftentimes, discards make their way from the house to the garage, but go no further. Open wide the garage door and carry out everything you need to get rid of. Pile it in the driveway, put it directly into a dumpster or trash can and use donation boxes for items that can benefit someone else. Do not let anything work its way back into the garage. Turn your spring cleaning into a garage sale–you’ll make a little cash and have less to dispose of.
Step Two: Clean
Whether you have shelves and cabinets or “storage” is just stacked around the perimeter walls, pull everything out and wipe down walls and ceiling to get rid of cobwebs, dust and dirt, and then wipe out cabinets and shelves. Watch for any evidence of dampness (leaks), termites (yikes!) or other damage. Sweep the floor, getting into all the corners and underneath racks, tables, etc. Dust off any storage boxes, bins, washer and dryer, water heater, electrical box, ladders—wherever dust has settled. Oil and lubricate door hinges and wash any windows.
Step Three: Sort
Organize what you’ll store, keeping like items together. Gardening tools and supplies, auto care, household tools, laundry necessities, sports equipment, holiday decorations, hobby supplies, etc. You may want to pull together any toxic or harmful products that would be best stored behind locked cabinet doors or at least high on a shelf out of reach of children and pets. Sorting may reveal additional discards as you go item-by-item, so keep clearing out the clutter.
Step four: Restore order
Now that everything is sorted and clean, it’s time to put the garage back together. Store items in their sorted groups, keeping like items together. For example, put all laundry accessories with the washer and dryer, and keep sporting equipment in one area instead of scattered around the garage. Replace damaged storage boxes with plastic bins with secure lids. If your garage has a Man Cave, home gym or game room, remove anything that doesn’t belong in the area so it’s always ready to use.
