A messy garage, overflowing with all sorts of clutter and unwanted junk is a common issue for many households. Indeed the primary purpose of a garage is to shelter a vehicle, but usually the available space around the vehicle is gradually taken over by all sorts of clutter and rubbish. Whether it’s an old suitcase, a pair of skis you last used five years ago, or general bits and pieces of clutter the garage sometimes looks and feels like forgotten dumping ground. So, take measures and reclaim valuable space – here are some basic tips and advice on how to win the battle against garage junk!
Before doing anything, take out the car or motorbike out the front as clearing out the garage while a vehicle is in it won’t work too well.
- First of all, take a long hard look around the place and single out big bits and pieces of rubbish you really don’t need. If there is a lot of junk that needs to go by all means call in a specialised rubbish removal company – they can save you lots of hassles and some money in getting rid of garage junk for you.
- Next, try and gain access to all the junk and rubbish which is usually piled over by other stuff, useful or useless. Your primary goal is to clear out the garage of everything so you got a clean canvas to work with. Take your time and be careful not to hurt yourself, allocate enough time so you don’t have to rush things.
Once the garage is cleared of everything, take a look at the stuff you like to keep and choose a suitable zone within the garage where to store a given item or piece of equipment. General rule of thumb is ‘everything in its place, and there is a place for (almost) everything’. In this case walls as well as floor space is affair game so think vertically, not only horizontally.- Certain bulky items like pushbikes and other sports equipment can be hung on the walls to preserve floor space. Installing hooks and racks for bikes and sports equipment is quite straightforward for the average household handyman, so pop down to your local hardware store and see what they offer you as wall mounted solutions.
- Shelving is absolutely necessary feature in nine out of ten garages – small bits and pieces littering the place is a real nuisance, so get some shelves happening. There are various types of shelving you can opt for – there is mounted, suspended shelving etc. Pick an option that is easy for you to install but sturdy enough to support the weight of items you need stored.
- Work bench and parts cabinets – these two features are marvellously effective in keeping the garage clean and tidy. If you enjoy your handyman work then chances are you need to store a bunch of tools, materials and equipment. A work bench is a good way to keep larger/heavier equipment like drills, saws etc. off the floor. Parts cabinets are quite handy for storing smaller bits and pieces, including handheld tools and many more. If you manage to keep the cabinet drawers neat and tidy you are on easy street.
