Spring comes early in Sacramento, California. Honestly, did it ever really leave? But as spring flowers sprout their shining hairdos, you know it’s time to brush off the dust and get down to spring cleaning.
Where to begin? Why not start at the most disorganized place in your house — your garage? Cleaning the garage not only removes clutter from your life, but it’s also a great way to enjoy the changing weather. Leave the garage door open to let in that beautiful springtime breeze as you organize. It’s inspiring and motivating — a perfect way to begin spring!
Here are some helpful tips to spring clean and organize your garage. The job can be daunting at first, but there’s nothing like a beautifully cleaned garage. It’s satisfying and helps you get life in order.
Plan Your Maintenance Projects
For starters, start with the garage door. Regular routine maintenance can keep it running beautifully. It helps you save on repairs — and to spot potential garage door repair problems before they become more serious issues.
Run the garage door opener and watch how the door performs. Is it loud? Does it creek or rattle in a particular place? How fluid is its operation?
Oil all the moving parts on a garage door — the chain, rollers, and hinges. Only use an approved garage door lubricant — not WD40 which can cause the parts of your garage door to prematurely rust.
Move Items into 3 Piles — Keep, Donate, Trash
Next, start by organizing the stuff in your garage. Move items into 3 piles: Keep, Donate, and Trash. Recycle if you can, but don’t be afraid to throw things away. Sure, we all want to save the Earth but remaining a packrat isn’t the answer to global warming
Be honest about what you want to keep. Are you going to use it in the next 6 months? Most of us keep loose knickknacks out of the fear we’ll need it someday — even though that’s rarely the case. Make up your mind about what you really need. A minimalist approach can do wonders to the organization of your garage.
Organize Your Walls
Garage walls are an overlooked organizational resource. Install shelving, hooks, and other storage strategies to improve the storage capabilities of your garage door walls. Install pegboards along the walls so you can hang important tools and sports equipment.
Clean Everything
Next, give everything in your garage a good cleaning. Sweep and dust the entire garage. Spread cat litter on oil stains. Wash the floor. Take a broom to any cobwebs. Dust anything that needs it. If the dust bothers you, wear a facemask or a handkerchief over your mouth to limit exposure.
Call a Garage Door Inspector
Finally, it’s a good idea to call a professional garage door inspector. Garages should be inspected on an annual basis, and spring is the perfect time to begin. Ask them to check the balance of the door, inspect the springs and cables, check the door’s balance. He or she can spot issues ahead of time before they bloom into more serious and expensive garage door repair problems.
Use Your Garage as a Place to Enjoy Spring & Summer
Once you’ve got your garage organized and freshened, celebrate by using it as the perfect place to enjoy the beautiful weather of spring and summer. Leave the door open and play sports on the lawn with the kids. Invite the neighbors over to listen to music over a couple of beers. You’ve worked hard to organize this garage — now it’s time to enjoy it!