Ten tips that will make spring cleaning your garage a breeze

Garages may be for cars, but they can easily become a dumping ground for kids' clothes, empty paint cans, or things that are broken or that you don't want to deal with. But it's the time of year again; even as temperatures soar, plants are in bloom, and we're all out of our winter snails (hallelujah!). It's time to hit the outdoors if you can find your bike.

A day (or two) dedicated to mopping up and cleaning up your garage will get you ready for all the hot weather activities around the corner. Doesn't that look nice? To help start this season on a clutter-free foot, we've tapped a few experts to guide us through organizing this often-overlooked space.

For the professional garage cleaning services in Olympia, contact Premier Janitorial Services.

Ahead, ten steps to getting your garage in good shape.

We have a plan  

Lots of things can happen in a garage or garage in the long winter, so your first focus should be to restore order. We suggest starting with a goal. Are you an avid gardener? Need easy access to your favorite sports equipment? Or does it double as a storage and laundry room? "Planning the space's final function is essential to achieving a successful spring cleaning," Bashir says. Create a list of things you need to do or make a rough plan for the end result. Then open doors, let some air and light in, get out of your car, and get started. Putting on some inspiring tunes or a catchy podcast doesn't matter either. 

Choose your process

Dealing with a place like a garage can seem daunting, so first, it is important to figure out the correct way to get the job done. Start with the easiest things first, like collecting recyclables or labeling items you can donate or bring to the dump. Then, empty the entire garage and rebuild it again, piece by piece. It may take a day, two, or even a few weekends, so do your best to restore the system at the end of each session. If you can leave allthings outside on the driveway or garden, just cover it with a boat at night to fend off fans and spring rain. If that sounds too intense picking a small section that bothers you the most and starting there. Try to get away from feeling guilty that you've let the garage get to this point and drive with a just-starting mindset. Once you treat a hard area, the rest will be cake. Set another set of time for the following week and continue in these short increments until you are finished."

Be honest - have you used it?

There's a common rule when cleaning out your closet if you haven't worn it in over a year, but it's time to say goodbye—the same goes for the garage. If no one has touched these myths since Obama's first term, it's okay to let them go. If your family doesn't go to Sunday croquette games like you imagined them to be, don't beat yourself up about it. Donate to them, and they might end up getting some use instead of collecting dust. Be honest about your hobbies, activities, possessions, and life. On the other hand, do you like skateboarding? Are you big on fixing things in your home? If so, the articles for these activities should be respected and given prime real estate. If you're having trouble letting things go, putting items in the regular use, annual use, never used, and emotionally and storage categories. Everything that is never used can be tossed. Annual element check and regular use for signs of wear and replacement; When it comes to purely emotional things, focus on who you are you really want to keep and what you already have room to store safely.

storage

If you don't already have a proper organizational system in place, now is your chance to put things in order. The best kind of storage is anything that goes high. If it's wall or ceiling rack-mounted, that's even better. A garage with parked car or two is restricted, so use your walls, even the ceiling, as best you can in order to maximize the space. The ideal options are metal systems or open wire shelving, complete with sinks and boxes for things like holiday decorations. Don't forget the top-tier lids. The space above the equipment storage system could work well as a place to store more paper towels or off-season water coolers.