As much as we may wish it weren’t so, we’re still stuck in winter for a little while longer. For those of you in warmer parts of the country, this probably doesn’t faze you. But, for other parts of the country that have been hit recently with snowstorms and ice storms, spring cannot come soon enough.
This is especially true when you step into your garage to take out the trash or head to work. Taking a look around your garage, you may wonder if you’re at the wrong house. Filled with dirty cars, melting snow from your car, salt residue from boots, a snow blower that’s been displaced, and winter gear left by the steps, you might be wishing for spring with a vengeance!
And, while you probably don’t spend a great deal of time in your garage, it’s still incredibly important to make sure it stays organized and clean. Just as you keep your closet organized, keeping your garage organized will help you save time if you’re running late, and make it easier to find items when you really need them—like shovels and winter boots.
While one important step is to get your car washed reguarly (it’ll prevent your clothes from getting dirty if you brush against your car), that’s not enough to keep the dirt and clutter entirely at bay. What to do? Shawn Gauthier’s Houzz article, “8 Tips For A Supremely Organized Winter Garage, ” provides some ideas. Some of these might be easier to do in the spring when it’s warmer, but if the messiness of your garage is already causing you stress, you might want to act now. Here are a few of our favorite tips from Gauthier’s list:
- Have a closet in your garage for winter and sports gear. Okay, we know. It can be hard enough to keep your clothes closet organized. But, hear us out. Having a closet in your garage provides the perfect place to store snow pants, heavy winter boots, shovels, and more. This keeps everything in one spot, and it also prevents you from letting items lay around. The same is true for sports equipment. A closet in the garage can provide the perfect solution for keeping hockey or lacrosse sticks, basketballs, footballs, and more organized and off the floor.
- Take advantage of your walls and ceilings. Your garage walls and ceilings are hidden gems when it comes to organizing. You can hang shovels, hoses, gardening tools, and more on your walls. You can also hang bicycles from your ceiling. The possibilities are endless, and these simple steps will help to make your garage feel brand new. Better yet, this organizational technique will keep your garage floor clutter-free, making it easier to walk around!
- Don’t leave items on the floor. Leaving sports equipment, winter boots, and other things on the floor might seem convenient at first, but it doesn’t take time for those casually tossed aside items to grow into a pile of clutter. Not only will that make it difficult to navigate your garage while you’re rolling your ankle on baseballs, but it also allows these items to collect dirt, making your garage spring cleaning that much more of an ordeal. Save yourself time in the future by keeping your stuff off the floor now!
One final tip: When you’re organizing and cleaning your garage, keep an eye out for pieces you no longer need. Maybe you have too many shovels, snow pants that are too small, or sports equipment no one is using anymore. Put these items in a box marked with the phrase “for donation.” Then, contact ClothingDonations.org. We’ll come by and pick it up for you while you bask in the convenience and spaciousness of your newly organized garage!