Spring is here! Winter takes a toll on our homes and we tend to avoid cleaning a little more in the winter. The garage is essential when it comes to creating your spring cleaning checklist. Peace of mind for the summer comes when all your items are clean, organized and accessible. According to this study , almost half of Americans who participated in spring cleaning included their garage- and you should too!

Spring cleaning the garage can be overwhelming. Let us help you spring clean the right way and make this year a little more care-free.

Have a Vision

Don't go into spring cleaning your garage without a clear vision. Get inspired and aim for a goal. Your spring cleaning doesn't have to be completed in one day, take the weekend and enjoy the process. Having a vision for the space can be motivating to finish the project. Have an idea of how much you would like to get done in one day, and manage accordingly. Breaking up the garage into sections can be helpful, aim for completing a section each day or each weekend.

Go Through It All

Pick a warm, sunny day, open your garage door, and sort through all of the mess. Pulling everything out of your garage will help you decide what you no longer need. Make 4 separate piles of your things: keep, donate, sell, or throw away. A little tip when trying to decide if you should keep an item: if you haven’t used it in the last 2 years, get rid of it!

Don't Be Afraid To Throw Things Out

We have all been there, the clutter of accumulating things we have purchased over the decades. Go through it and decide what you want to keep, throw away, and donate. If you haven’t used an item in over a year and a half, it’s time to part with it. Plus, you’ll have room to store new items that you buy. (And who doesn’t want an excuse to buy new things?) It wouldn’t really be Spring cleaning the garage unless you got rid of some stuff, right? Parting with items can be difficult, we understand. Managing how much you store can help clear your mind of the clutter and create space you never knew you had.

this study might be helpful in learning “The Art of Throwing Away”.

We have all been there, the clutter of accumulating things we have purchased over the decades. Go through it and decide what you want to keep, throw away, and donate. If you haven’t used an item in over a year and a half, it’s time to part with it. Plus, you’ll have room to store new items that you buy. (And who doesn’t want an excuse to buy new things?) It wouldn’t really be Spring cleaning the garage unless you got rid of some stuff, right? Parting with items can be difficult, we understand. Managing how much you store can help clear your mind of the clutter and create space you never knew you had.

Visualize Your Space

You’ve now emptied your garage and gotten rid of things you no longer need. Before you start putting the “keep” items back in, look at your empty space and figure out how you want to utilize the area. Decide where you’re going to put bigger items like lawnmowers, bikes, or workbenches seeing as these items need the most space. With smaller, less used or miscellaneous items, make sure they are organized properly so they are easily found in your garage. It’s also important to remember that the things you use most often should be the most accessible. This includes making room for your cars.

Try to map your garage in a way that is maintainable. You want to have a set place the items always go, this way your organization won't be reversed in a few months. Your dirt bikes might look awesome near your car, but the lawn mower may need to be the more accessible item. This article talks about the importance of keeping a routine to maintain organization in your home.

Move it all back in!

Once you’ve visualized a space for everything, put it there. Having as little on the ground as possible makes it easier to sweep out your garage throughout the year. Hanging peg boards, shelves, or cabinets on the wall allows you to store smaller items in a more organized way. Labeling these storage units makes it easier to access their contents as they’re needed throughout the year.

Before you move all your items in, make sure to give your floor a good, deep clean. Garage floors often lack attention and this is the perfect opportunity to make those floors shine! Take a look at this article about cleaning your garage floor.

Garage Updates

Once the garage is all tidy, there are some more permanent solutions you can look into to improve its look and make keeping it clean an easier task. Each of the suggestions below are whole projects by themselves and are best accomplished with the help of professionals. With that said, here are some ideas for upgrading your garage space:

Floor Coatings – The stain-resistance of a strong coating eliminates the need to pressure wash and reduces the amount of time it takes to clean to only a few minutes. It also reinforces concrete sealants and prevents damage from forming.

Paint the Walls – Painting walls is a great way to clean them up and improve the overall look of the garage. The final result will look fantastic alongside a new garage floor.

New Storage Systems – A steel shelving system and cabinets make organizing boxes and bins easier and help reduce visual clutter. The best part about installing the right systems is future garage spring cleanings will be a much quicker and painless task.

Now that you have tackled spring cleaning your garage, time to take control of your summer and have the best season yet! Embrace your garage as an extension of your home and don't be afraid to get creative with your new found space.