Spring Clean the Garage
Cleaning the garage. Just thinking about this may send you back under the covers, but alas, it’s something you can’t ignore forever. And what better time to tackle this chore than when the temperature outside is not too hot nor cold. These tips will help you get through this task in an orderly and not-too-overwhelming way.
Have a plan. Look around and try to approximate what you’re going to need immediately. Do you need paint? Cleaning supplies? Do you need new storage totes? If so, how many do you estimate? Do you need extra bin space to throw things away? Do you need an appointment made for a donation pickup? Do as much of this in advance so when the big clean out day arrives, you’re ready to go.
Start with a blank slate. If it’s possible, park your cars in the street and remove everything from the garage and put in the driveway. As you do this, organize as you go. Put like items together, like sports equipment, toys, tools, paint, etc. This will not only help you move it back with some order, but also give you a bird’s eye view of everything you have and what you can part with.
Clean and paint. Once it’s empty roll the walls with a quick one-coat of white paint to freshen them up. Mop the floors and clean all the cobwebs out of the ceilings and corners. If your garage door has windows, give them a wash. Spray the winter dust off the front of the roll-up door.
Do an inventory. Now that you’re ready to put everything back, take a hard look and decide what really gets to go home and what needs to be let go. Old paint, broken toys, items that can’t be repaired all need to likely be purged appropriately. Start a pile for these and schedule a day to take them to your local waste management facility.
Box and label what’s left. Using stackable totes and a label maker, organize the rest and place it into as many bins as you can and label what’s inside. Stack them neatly and try to keep as much off the floor as possible. Install new hooks for hanging and shelving and racks if necessary.
If you are continuing your search for a new home, please know Cornerstone Communities is still building homes throughout the county of San Diego and Temecula. To see our homes, we are offering virtual tours on our website, you can chat with us online or we can schedule a private in-person appointment with you.