Tidying or Ti-Dying? How to Ease the Pain of Cleaning the Garage

When cleaning out a garage, where do we begin? Stepping foot into the space, you may be quickly shutting the door at the sight of clutter. And tell yourself, maybe tomorrow. This could have been the scenario for weeks or months already. Postponing the garage cleanout will only bring stress and anxiety, so why not start now. The year is about to close, and as we open our doors to the coming year, having a clean and organized space is one of the items that we get to tick off our list of resolutions. Follow these easy steps to finally jumpstart the yearly cleaning. We promise you that the process will be less painful and tedious. And you might actually enjoy it!

1. Start from the ground.

It is only logical, to begin with, the lowest point of the garage. The piles of boxes and other random things were strewn on the floor hinder movement. So to get things going smoothly, clear out everything and keep them off the ground. Then, you may move forward to decluttering your tables, cabinets, and other storage systems that you have.

2. Wipe and clean surfaces and items.

A quick tip: Wear face masks and have a towel and cleaning spray beside you. The amount of dust and grime will surely shock you in the face. The fact that these items may have been stored and remained stagnant for longer than we imagine, it comes as no surprise that dust and molds have found a home in your piles of things. So, before you start sorting them, wipe out or scrub down anything dirty or dusty.

3. Sort and eliminate, sell or donate.

Here comes the purge. Trust us when we say more than two-thirds of the items stored in your garage need to go. Be honest with yourself. Ask the question, “Will I see myself using this item anytime within a few weeks?” If not, let it go. There may be exceptions, of course. If the item holds a precious memory, you can still put it in the “keep” pile. However, do not make this an excuse for every item. You might see yourself having to pack all items again into the boxes. And that would defeat the purpose of the tidying process. The items that need to be let go, sort them into three: eliminate, sell or donate. If the things are already broken and beyond repair, throw them out. Just be wary of your disposal of broken glass, electronic devices, and other products that contain chemicals. If you decide to donate, make sure that the items are still intact and useful. And if the items are still functional, determine if you are going to sell or donate them. You do not want to give something that will only accumulate dust to the receiver. And, they should not be recipients of your “trash.” There are many organizations in your community that will allow donations. And you have to check which ones would suit the items you are giving away.

4. Find a storage system that you can trust.

If cleaning is such a daunting task, adding in organizing your stuff in the garage, then it would spell disaster if not done right and result in fatigue if you are spending more time and effort than expected. Having a trusted storage system should somehow fix it. No matter how often you do a thorough cleaning, if your storage system is not at par with the amount of effort you put into it, all these will come to waste. The smart solution for all your woes is installing an overhead garage storage rack. By optimizing the ceiling space and converting it into a storage space would be the perfect solution to decluttering the garage. The unused overhead space can become your haven to store important stuff that needs a new home outside your living space. One such fantastic storage is the Fleximounts Basic 4′ X 8′ Overhead Garage Storage Rack GR48F. The heavy cold-rolled 14 gauge steel construction ensures long-lasting use and provides safety loading up to 600 lbs with ⅜” plywood or thicker. The high-quality screws supplied in the package are thicker than industry standards and have gone through strict tests. The rack is also height adjustable to suit your needs. It can go from 22 inches to 40 inches dropdown and provides up to 105 cu. This is beyond compare to other racks available in the market with a maximum of 33 inches ceiling drop down and a maximum of 88 cu. feet. of storage. The dimensions of the GR48F are 96 x 48 x 22-40 inches. Moreover, the Basic 4′ X 8′ Overhead Garage Storage Rack GR48F offers installation practicality as it can be both for parallel and perpendicular installation. In either case, you only have to make sure that the vertical posts are 48 inches apart. If your garage’s ceiling is finished with drywall, you can use a stud finder to locate the ceiling joists. The rack consists of four corner triangles and two frame reinforcement bars. The rack is a specially designed vertical post that allows embedded deck mounting. And for added peace of mind and security, it has multiple mounting points for firmly attaching the deck and frame with tapping screws. This Fleximounts overhead storage rack provides space for flexibility and creativity as you can customize the color of the wooden decks or, even better, recycle the old wooden boards that you have lying around the garage or lawn. But note that the recommended size is 4’x8’ and has a thickness of at least ⅜”. Also, you can opt to choose Fleximounts wire grids as a base or deck for the rack. Either way, it provides sturdy storage for all your unused and seasonal items. Do not worry about the installation, as the instructions and templates are easy to comprehend. And you do not need to be a construction expert to do such a garage project.