Make the Garage Your Spring Cleaning Project of the Year

Home items that can go into storage

Garages are the default storage room of any house. No matter how organized you put things into it, eventually boxes and a collection of odds and ends will build up. But, at the same time, garages are the least finished room in the house. They have bare concrete floors and gaps letting cold air inside the walls. Even the paint in newly constructed garages is just a few lines of color. Instead of reorganizing the garage and cutting down on the bulk it stores, completely redo the garage. Here’s how:

1. Move everything to a storage unit.

Most of what’s stored in the garage just can’t be stored anywhere else. That’s probably how it ended up in the garage in the first place. Instead of slowing down your project by going through everything now, just transport it to a storage unit. This gives you a blank slate for deep-cleaning your garage. It also means you’ll have a better idea of how much was in your garage and how many duplicates of various things you have.

2. Cover everything.

This may sound like an exaggeration, but every exposed surface in your garage brings in a draft, takes out conditioned air, and is susceptible to damage. If you have bare rafters in your garage, fill the gap with insulation. If you have walls, paint them (usually white) and be sure to get the ceiling, too. Also, take the opportunity of a cleared floor to coat the floor. Topping it with even a clear coat of epoxy can stop cracks, impact damage, and future stains. Topping it with a solid or flaked coat makes the whole room look new.

3. Sort before you bring anything home.

Most storage units don’t allow dumping on site, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take the opportunity to sort. Instead of making the default category ‘keep,’ make the default category ‘throw away.’ This makes you and your family really think about the value of each item and if it’s worth the trouble of transporting it home. Having a newly painted and roomy garage makes it even less likely you’ll hold onto items you’re on the fence about.

If your goal is to get rid of clutter around the house, there are two good tricks that leave you satisfied with the end result: move everything away so keeping things isn’t a default option, and improve the space so you don’t want to clutter it again.