Do you ever peak inside your garage with the thought of cleaning it but then just retreat in frustration?
Does the idea of sifting through those years of gathered belongings — treasures and junk combined – make you cringe?
Well the good news is that you’re not alone.
According to one study in Seattle, 70 to 80 percent of garages are used only for non-car storage. Another study from Los Angeles found that “only 25 percent of garages could be used to store cars because they were so packed with stuff.”
Garages can be used for a myriad of purposes, and because we often use them as an extra storage room, they’re prone to messy piles and disorganized accumulations of things.
If you’d like to overcome the cringe, eliminate the frustration, and perhaps even get the car back where it belongs, here are a few tips that might help:
1. Sort and Group. Make those piles of things more manageable by sorting them into groups – junk, tools, garden equipment, sports equipment, etc.
2. Throw stuff out.You know what they say: if you haven’t used an item in six months or even a year, the likelihood of you ever using it is low. Why not donate the item to charity? Or if it’s unusable – just throw it out.
3. Get some bins. Once you’ve eliminated the junk, your piles of things should be easier to store. If they’re not, go back to step two! Store your items in clearly labeled bins (large plastic bins work well for this purpose) that can be easily placed one on top of the other.
4. Get some shelves. For larger items, you might consider mounting wall shelves. Today, these shelving units come in all sorts of shapes and sizes and are quite easy to install.
5. Attach some hooks.Hooks and hangers can be useful for hanging bikes and sports equipment. Just make sure they’re designed to hold the weight of your items and are secured properly to the garage walls.
6. Clean the floor. Now that you can actually see your garage floor, it’s a good idea to seal and paint it. An epoxy paint specially designed for garage floors can be used for this purpose.
