Have you ever seen a garage like this? I sure have, more then once. There’s a big difference between driving a car into a garage filled with a jumbled mess and one that is tidy and well kept.
Below are some tips on how to clean up and maintain a neat garage:
Day 1- Be ready. Have a tarp available to stack things on. You’ll need boxes, plastic containers with lids, garbage bags, markers for labeling, and gloves to protect your hands.
Decide how you want to sort your clutter into categories: garbage, recycle, give away and keep. Garbage can be disposed of immediately. Contact your local landfill to find out how to properly dispose of old batteries and hazardous materials. Recycle what can be recycled. Take the beer and pop cans in, hey a little extra cash never hurts!
It’s sometimes easier to part with the treasures in your garage if you know someone else can get use from them. The Give away pile- donate — or hold a garage sale that someone else might have use for.
The most difficult pile to sort will be the “keep” pile. Do you really need every item in that pile? Remember the rule, if you haven’t used it in 6 months, chances are, you wont. Or “when in doubt, throw it out”
Now that you have everything out of the garage, its time for the clean up.
This is the time to sweep up and hose down your garage.
Tip- Removing Oil Spills
Pour cola on the oily or dry stained areas, and leave the cola on overnight. Squirt a generous amount of dishwashing liquid into a bucket until you have a good lather. Rinse with the soapy water, then with a garden hose. Or Sprinkle baking soda or an absorbent powder such as cornmeal or sawdust on the oily spots. If the stain is dry, wet it first to make a scouring paste. Scrub with a stiff brush or push broom.
Coat the floor with white or light-colour epoxy paint, which will make it easier when the floor needs to be cleaned, and the coating makes it easy to mop.
Now its time to bring things back in.
You have two areas of storage: Ceiling, and walls. (If it’s on the floor, it’s time to store. Elevating everything makes cleaning the floor and parking your car easier!) Utilize the space according to your own specific needs. Wall shelving or Built-ins, such as cabinets and shelves, are especially helpful. Bikes can be suspended from the ceiling or racked against the wall to free up more floor space. If you cant see it you cant find it. Make sure all the containers are labeled properly.
Once your car (s) are parked, add runners of indoor outdoor carpeting, so when you step out of your vehicle with dirty shoes, your floors will stay nice and clean. Leaving it neat will encourage you to keep it organized and tidy and eliminate another organizing marathon.
Source: http://edmontonhomestaging.blogspot.com/2008/09/ways-to-organize-your-garage.html
