For many people, the garage is the part of the home where the most stuff accumulates over time. Since it’s not really a room inside your house that you have to live in or even access all that often, it can quickly become a dumping ground for sports equipment, tools, gardening supplies and other small to bulky items.
With warmer weather just around the corner, it’s a good idea to start planning out some of your spring cleaning. Although the garage can be easy to overlook when it comes to organizing and sprucing up your space, it’s still important to focus on this aspect of the home – particularly for those with allergies or asthma who could be suffering from symptoms caused by mold, pollen, dust or chemicals that have built up over time.
When cleaning out your garage, you should consider:
Getting rid of all the junk – It helps to start with a clean slate so you can visualize the space you’re working with and determine where everything will fit. Pick a sunny day and clear out your garage, being sure to set aside items that you no longer need. You may even benefit from having a yard sale.
Investing in garage storage solutions – It’s a good idea to try to keep as much off the floor as you can, so vertical storage is the way to go. “The less often a category of stuff is used, the higher up it goes,” recommends Peter Walsh, a professional organizer, in an article on Oprah.com.
Wiping everything down – For this step of the process, it’s advisable to use a respirator mask to make sure you aren’t breathing in any dangerous cleaning chemicals or the dust and dirt that will inevitably be stirred up. Fortunately, there are special cleaning products you can invest in that target common allergens.
