San Diego Union-Tribune (Sunday)
NOW’S THE TIME TO DECLUTTER THE GARAGE
S imple techniques can help with spring-cleaning task
the best times.
Sort items by type: gardening, seasonal, tools, etc. Keep like
Spring is here, and for many people, that means getting once-ayear home projects done like cleaning the windows and shampooing the rugs. This year,why not go further afield and include the garage on your spring-cleaning list? If you treat your garage more like a jumbo storage space than a shelter for your cars, you should definitely put it on your to-do list! Here’s how to make the job go smoothly:
Schedule the cleanout for when it’s not too hot or too cold outside
Working in a temperate environment will help you move without sweating or running in place to stay warm. In many parts of the country, March through May and September through November are
Set aside enough time to do the job
If you haven’t cleaned out your garage for several years (or ever!), chances are you’ve accumulated a lot of stuff since then. Be realistic about how much time to allot to get the garage back into shape— one weekend is often a reasonable guesstimate.
Empty the entire garage onto your driveway
Start at the front of the garage and work your way around the space, evaluating things one square foot at a time. As you pull an item out of the garage, ask yourself: When was the last time you used it? Will I ever use it again? Is it broken? Useless? Once you decide, put it in one of these piles: Keep, Donate, Discard. To prevent future hoarding, the American Cleaning Institute suggests that you get rid of a similar item for every new item you put in the garage. So if you bought a new broom, get rid of the old one.
Take a good look at the ‘keep’ pile
items together, especially if you use them at the same time, like the bicycles and air pump.
Organize thoughtfully
Similar to how you arrange a kitchen pantry, put the items you use most frequently in the front of the garage (recycling bins) and lesser-used things (fishing equipment) in the back. Buy stackable plastic containers with lids to keep the garage looking tidy; get bins with partitions to store small items like nails and screws; buy bigger containers for other items. Never rely on cardboard boxes to store anything since they often attract mice.
Label every bin
Use a Sharpie and wide masking tape to write what’s in each box, which will make searching for an item much easier. Even better, write on at least two sides of the container, not on top, where the labels won’t be seen since the boxes will be stacked.
Use more than just floor space Take advantage of the walls and ceiling to hold things. A pegboard, for example, can be the place to store tools, hats and gloves for gardening, and other lightweight items. Install a wire rack on a wall for rakes, shovels, and brooms.