With spring in full swing, it’s time for spring cleaning. Cleaning out your garage can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be! Set aside a weekend to clear out and clean up your garage and enjoy a clean and well-organized garage this summer.
Clear it out.
The first step to cleaning your garage is clearing it down completely. Take everything out that you can and organize it into categories. It will be much easier to do a real deep clean if the garage is empty. It will also make it easier to organize everything as you put it back in the garage.
Declutter!
Garages seem to gather a lot of clutter. One of the best things you can do for your garage is to get rid of all that clutter! After you’ve emptied your garage, put everything into piles for keeping, donating, recycling, throwing away, and selling. If you’re having trouble parting with items, ask yourself—have you used it in the last year? If you don’t use an item at least once a year, it probably isn’t worth keeping. You probably don’t need as much stuff as you have. There may also be other places for stuff you have in your garage.
Wipe it down.
Once everything has been cleared out of the garage, clean it out. Start with sweeping any dust and debris out. Next, wipe everything down. Wipe the floor, the walls, the shelves, clean it all off. Garages easily gather dust and dirt in all their nooks and crannies. It’s unlikely that your garage is completely empty often. Take advantage of this opportunity to clean out all the places that never get cleaned. It may even be helpful to hose down your garage to get those hard to reach places.
Inspect your garage door.
While you have everything out of the garage, inspect your garage door. Is everything working properly? If something is wrong, this is the time to fix it. Is your door off track? Is clicker working? Inspect your door for rust, warping, and any other potential issues.
Wash the windows.
While cleaning out the garage, take the chance to wash the garage windows. With nothing inhibiting you to access to these windows, clean off all those stubborn stains and streaks. You can use vinegar as a natural cleanser for a streak-free shine. Garage windows often get ignored and become dirty and foggy over time. Keep them clean and clear with a good wipe down. Be sure to clean the windows on both the inside and the out.
Plan your storage.
Before bringing all of your items back into your space, make a plan. Plan out where everything will go. You can organize things based on categories and how often you use them. Something that is used very regularly should be well within reach. Whereas tools or items that you only use about once a year can be kept on a high shelf.
