What's the Best Approach to Spring Clean My Garage?
Q: What's the best approach to spring clean my garage?
A: Over the winter, a lot of things can happen in your garage, like tracking in dirt, snow, and ice or using it for temporary storage. As spring weather arrives, it is a great time to give your garage a detailed spring cleaning.
Depending on the size of your garage - and the amount of clutter it has accumulated over the winter (or years), you should likely set aside at least two days to get things cleaned and organized. Tackling spring cleaning in the garage can seem like a daunting task if you approach it as one huge project.
Instead, think about the best approach to getting things organized and cleaned. Start with a small section and work on one section at a time. Another great suggestion is to think about what things will be the easiest to get done quickly compared to those which will take longer to do. You’ll want to do the quick and easy tasks first, like clearing out recyclables and trash.
As you go through the things in your garage, think about whether you have used the items recently or not. Generally, if you haven’t used it in over a year, you should discard it (this rule doesn’t necessarily apply to tools, gardening materials, and other items you may only use seasonally).
The other thing you should do to set items into different groupings such as keep, donate, recycle, trash, etc. For anything you aren’t keeping, have a plan in place to quickly get rid of the items so you can free up the storage space inside the garage. After the garage is emptied out, sweep the garage floor. You should also give your walls and garage door a good cleaning to remove cobwebs, dead bugs, dust, and dirt.
Now is also the perfect time to also schedule annual maintenance for your garage door. Your garage door technician can inspect the door, make repairs, and lubricate moving parts. You may also decide to replace your garage door with a new one that offers energy-efficient features, like insulation.
Once the garage is cleaned out, as you move the items you’re keeping back in, consider where you will put them. You could hang things on the walls, install cabinets and counter tops to create storage space, use clear storage totes, or install some shelving. Your goal is to make sure everything is organized and easy to find when you need it. Don’t forget about utilizing overhead space, if available, which is perfect for hanging up items like bikes and sports equipment to keep them off the floor.