If you’re anything like the typical homeowner, you know that the garage is one space that is easily neglected. In fact, it’s not only ignored but is often the “catchall” for anything you’re not sure what to do with.
Do you find yourself getting into your car each day and making a mental note to do a garage cleanout next weekend? Or are you someone that can’t even park their car in their garage because it’s such a cluttered mess? Let’s look at why we think you should move a garage cleanout to the top of your priority list.
Why Overhaul Your Garage?
Everyone certainly has their reasons for overhauling their garage. When it comes down to it, though, who wouldn’t want an organized garage space where things are easily found and put away?
Cleaning dirt and dust from your garage floor, doing garage door repairs, and more can give you a head start on your spring cleaning. Just think – you’ll no longer have to keep your garage door closed if someone comes by!
Go Through the Clutter
Going through the clutter in your garage is probably one of the lowest things on your to-do list, especially during the winter months. But with spring right around the corner, you can start now to prepare your garage for a complete refresh.
One of the most important things to remember about going through the clutter in your garage is that it doesn’t all have to be done in one day. Look at the different areas and think of ways that you could split up the job into a few smaller, more manageable tasks.
As you go through the clutter in your garage, separate things into four different piles. Make a pile to keep, sell, donate, and throw away. Sifting through things in this way can get you through items quickly, and you will know exactly what to do with them once you’re done.
Dispose of Junk You Don’t Need
Disposing of the junk that you no longer need is a vital part of the process. Do you have kids’ bikes that they no longer ride or are too small for them? Sell or donate them. Do you have multiple versions of the same tool? Get them out of your garage. How about those sleds or tubes your kids no longer use? Throw them out!
You can no longer afford to just keep junk around in case someone might think about using it. It may be tough to say goodbye to some items, but if you no longer need them and it’s not serving you or your family any longer, get rid of them!
Perform Necessary Maintenance
When you stop to really look at your garage door and all the moving parts that make it work the way you want it to, you realize how easy it is for something to go wrong. That’s why taking care of your garage door when a problem arises and keeping it well-maintained is necessary.
It may be a great idea to have a professional garage door specialist come and check out your garage door annually. Then you can be sure everything is in working order, including all the parts, garage door opener, and more.
Check Your Garage Door
You can start by giving your garage door itself a good clean. This will enable you to check out the panels and other parts of your garage door to make sure there are no cracks or loose pieces. Check out all those springs, hinges, and other parts to be sure there are no issues. Normal wear and tear will happen, but if you find a problem, don’t try fixing it yourself. Call a professional to get the job done right.
Double-check the safety features of your garage door as well. Including the lasers or photoelectric eyes that current garage doors come with to keep you, your family members, and your pets safe. This is the feature that stops your garage door and makes it go up again when it detects someone in the way of the door.
Winterize Equipment
If you have equipment that you won’t be using during the winter months (lawn mower, leaf blower), winterizing these items can help minimize the damage that the cold air can cause. Depending on the equipment, you may need to unplug items from electrical outlets, add fuel stabilizers to tanks, and disconnect batteries. This will help protect your equipment stored in your garage for winter and keep them in good working order for when you need them next.
Insulate as Needed
Our garages are hot in the summer and freezing cold in the winter. If you have not thought about installing insulation and weather stripping in your garage, it might be something that you should consider for a variety of reasons, including:
- Keeping the temperature comfortable during colder weather and hotter days.
- Maintaining the temperature in your home, and in turn, saving on heating & air conditioning costs.
- Cutting down on the noise (coming from the inside and outside).
Plan Future Storage and Organization
One of the fun parts of doing a garage overhaul is seeing it all come together through organization and storage methods. It can also be expensive to purchase shelving, add drawers, etc., so planning for future storage and organization can make it doable.
Budget a few dollars each month to buy storage containers or save for a while to purchase that big shelving unit you’ve had your eye on. It doesn’t all have to be done at once, but by adding essential elements like these, you make it so much easier to stay organized all year long.
Junk-A-Haulics Can Get Your Garage Ready for an Overhaul
Junk-A-Haulics can make your garage cleanout simple. Once you know what you need taken to the landfill or brought to charity, give us a call, and we can make it happen. We will provide the support you need to get your job complete and your garage ready to use. Give us a call today!
