As warm weather approaches, many of us are starting our spring cleaning routines. But in addition to reorganizing bedrooms and home offices or deep cleaning kitchens and bathrooms, now is the perfect time to pull open your garage door and get to work.
Clutter builds up easily in the garage, especially during the colder months. Whether you use this space to store your holiday decorations and outdoor equipment, or you use it for additional storage of groceries and cleaning products, it is important to tackle this spring cleaning project early to ensure organization throughout your entire home.
Here are some tips to get your garage ready for spring!
Clean Out and Organize
The first step to spring cleaning your garage is to take a day to sort through all of your items. If you take it in sections, you can save yourself the time and stress without getting overwhelmed.
If you use this area to store holiday decorations, pull out all of your boxes and totes and set aside. If you know there are items you can do without, create a donation or throw-away pile. Be sure to label each box for each season or holiday and stack them in order of season for easy access.
For tools and other outdoor equipment, consider hanging a peg wall and using hooks to hang shelves or hold these items. This will free up floor space and allow more room for larger outdoor equipment, such as a lawn mower or snow blower.
Sometimes, a small corner of the garage is the perfect place to store extra cleaning products or bulk items, such as paper towels and toilet paper, or non-perishables. Consider adding a shelf to keep these items organized. This can also help you see when you are running low on certain items and it’s time for a shopping trip.
Do a Safety Check
It is important to be sure that your garage door works properly, especially as the warmer months come and this space will be accessed more often. Open the door and check to see that they are rolling properly on the track. If you notice any problems, such as it getting stuck or shutting too hard, call in a professional to get this fixed as soon as possible, as this can cause injury to family members, kids and pets.
If your garage has sensors, test them out. Use your remote or switch to close the garage door. Then, use a long piece of wood, such as a 2×4 or large stick, and slide it under the door while it is closing. If it stops, you know that your sensors are working. If not, you may need to get them replaced to avoid injury to kids and pets who may try to sneak under as the door is closing.
If you decide to use a shelf or storage space for cleaning products and chemicals, be sure they are placed high up, out of reach of children and animals. This goes for other items such as paint, automotive fluids and garden pesticides, as well.
Create More Living Space
Warmer weather often means more time spent outside. So why not utilize the space in your garage as an indoor/outdoor living space?
Create a small home gym, complete with weights, medicine balls, yoga mats and even a treadmill and enjoy your next workout with some fresh air. Or, add some mats to the floor and bring out a few toys to create a small playroom. You can do yardwork or tend to your garden while keeping an eye on your children.
Another option for creating a living space in your garage is to add some furniture. Whether you opt for a couch and some comfortable chairs to relax or a small dining set to enjoy a meal, this space can be transformed into a prime entertaining space that can be enjoyed in rain or sunshine.
