Garage Clutter

Michigan is a wonderful place to live, as we are lucky to experience all four seasons. The changing seasons can prove challenging when it comes to storing seasonal possessions, though. During the warmer months, it is easy to leave cars in the driveway and use our garages for all of our seasonal outdoor items (bikes, scooters, lawn mowers, garbage cans, wheel barrows, etc.). Then suddenly the cold air blows back in and scraping the windows in the morning is not so fun! So how can you prepare your garage for the whole year?

Cleaning out a garage is a big undertaking. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, break this task down.

First, take a notepad, pencil and measuring tape out to your garage and take a look around. Perhaps there are items that you haven’t used in a few years – in that case, make a list of items to toss, donate, sell or give away. Many communities have hazardous material drop locations during the summer months so you can get rid of old fertilizers, paint, etc. You may even be able to store some items in an above the garage attic or in your basement during the off-season. If this is a possibility, make a list of these items and where the best storage location would be.

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Next, see if you have adequate storage for the remaining objects. Bike hooks hanging from the ceiling are a great way to save floor and wall space, and hanging hooks can help tackle all the brooms, rakes, etc. Shelving above the garage door can store many off-season items and rows of shelves at different heights can open up more floor space for garbage cans and lawn mowers. Track shelving units with adjustable shelf heights are wonderful for garages and can be adjusted as your possessions change without your having to reinvest in more products. Be sure to measure the area where you want shelving and hooks to go so there are no surprises later!

Once you have a plan, it’s time to go shopping. Lowe’s, Target and Home Depot all carry wonderful storage products.

Then comes the hard part - clearing out the garage. The summer months are the best time to do this, as you can set aside a whole day to accomplish this. Use your list as a guide to make piles in your driveway according to your categories. Sweep and hose out your empty garage, install your organizational devices and put everything back in its new home. If you have small children, get them involved and be sure that they have an easily accessible place for their things too.

Now pull those cars back in your garage, hop on your bike and enjoy the ride!

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