As the days start to lengthen and we turn our thoughts to warmer days and everything the summer holds, it is a good time to start thinking about a spring clean inside and out, including the house, garden and garage.
Many of us want a garage when we move; however, few of us keep a car in it. It is more a space for storage and garden equipment, and anything else that won’t go in the house. If you want to use this as a separate room you should look at a self storage Sleaford company which can be used to store away items that you don’t need daily access to.
Declutter
Don’t underestimate the time decluttering will take. You will need a full day or perhaps even a weekend, depending on the size of the garage and the state of the clutter. Getting the whole family involved will help to speed things up and engage everyone to participate in the new system. If there are items to be discarded, it can help if everyone is in agreement; however, there should not be a lengthy debate on whether to keep something.
Divide everything into four piles: things to keep, things to give to charity, things to sell, and things to bin. If you need help allocating something to a pile, ask whether it has been used in the last year. If you think you might need it one day, ditch it now – it will take up too much space for a might use this in ten years time.
Organise
Once you have decluttered, the next step is to organise everything and stay organised. If you need some pointers, DIY Network has a guide on how to arrange the space in your garage.
The old saying ‘A place for everything and everything in its place’ is key for organising your garage and finding a solution that fits your needs. Put the items you use most regularly in the easiest to reach places, hooks beside the door, and shelves at chest height. Put bulky items, such as the lawnmower, in a space in the back corner, with other heavy or bulky items on the floor or bottom shelf.
Create zones for things that are used together, such as gardening equipment, and place the items you don’t use frequently on higher shelves.
Once your system is in place, ensure all users are aware of the organisation so that nothing is dumped and everything is returned to its place.