What is your favorite way to enjoy summer? Camping? Water sports? Biking? Working in the yard? Chances are, your summer activities have equipment that goes along with them, and that equipment often lives in your garage. Take some time to organize your garage now and it will free you up to take advantage of spontaneous summer fun!
Set aside some time. Take a weekend day (or days depending upon the density of stuff) and commit it to organization. Start fresh first thing in the morning, and plan on rewarding yourself with a relaxing dinner out that evening.
Gather some supplies. Empty boxes, big black contractor bags and a good marker will serve you well in your organizing. Label each box according to its purpose – “to keep”, “to donate”, even “to decide later.” (P.S. We don’t encourage this…) Use the bags for trash. Most people’s garages are full of lots of throw-aways. Plan a dump run or a pick up. Check out this page for a list of trash removal services.
Do a rough inventory. For many people, the garage is additional storage space that often evolves without a lot of planning. Has your garage become the collection spot for gardening supplies? Skis and tennis rackets? Tools? Costco overflow? Start thinking about how you might want to store these things. Group items by activity.
Spread out. Gather some tarps or drop cloths and lay them out in your driveway or yard. That way you have a place to go through the contents of your garage, so you can decide what stays and what goes. Put all like things together – such as sports equipment – so you can check for unused items and duplicates.
Plan ahead. If you’ve been storing Aunt Edna’s ancient sofa for longer than you care to remember, it’s probably time to let it go. Make some calls and arrange to have furniture and other large items in good condition picked up. The Empty Your Nest resources pages are a great place to start.
Determine whether you need additional storage items. Once you’ve gone through and sorted everything, you can see what really needs to be there and the best way to store it. This is the time to decide if you need hooks, shelves, bins, or some other type of system.
Don’t go it alone. Trade helping out with a friend, recruit your family members, or call an organizer. Often a fresh perspective and someone to urge you along make the difference between achieving your goal and getting stuck.
Summer goes by all too quickly here in the Northwest – make sure you’re ready to enjoy every minute!
Tags: cleaning, clear, clear clutter, clutter, feng shui, goals, hoarders, hoarding, organization, organizer, organizing, procrastination, professional organizer, professional organizing
