The Big Spring Clean: Tackle Your Garage

Spring cleaning for most people always feels like an inside job. But if you have a garage, spring cleaning often means throwing the door open, scratching your head because you don't know where to begin, and cleaning up something else, less daunting.

But spring-cleaning the garage can be easy. Like the rest of your house, it's a matter of planning. Here's how you can tackle your garage in a weekend.

First, great planning helps any project go more smoothly.
1) The weather: You need to get the stuff in the garage, out...so don't start on a weekend when it's going to rain, or be too chilly to have the doors open. Check the weather reports, and when you see a break in the weather, go for it.
2) Get help: Just like moving in, you need help. To physically move heavy things, to get items you might need from inside the house, to run errands. Projects go more smoothly when you have lackeys that can help out, so you can stay focused on the big picture and keep everything in motion.

Second, be prepared for the actual day.
1) Supplies: Lots of drinks (think water, sodas, lemonade) to keep everyone hydrated; quick snacks or a lunch to keep everyone satiated, a radio to keep everyone motivated, and a first-aid kit to keep everyone safe. The garage is full of heavy, sharp objects. Be prepared to accidents, cuts and mishaps. Don't forget cleaning supplies: shop vac with a new/replacement filter (or a good push-broom), window-cleaning materials, floor-de-greaser if you have oil stains, lubricant for sticky or noisy doors and windows.
2) A Plan: If you have help, give everyone a job. Your big, strong folks can be the movers. Have someone who can fix things? Make a pile of items that need fixing, and put that person to work. Kids helping? This is a great time to have them help out by moving small, light things from the garage to the outside in piles, with your direction.

Third, time to empty! Three piles are the cornerstone for every spring-cleaning job.
1) A pile for things to give away
2) A pile to throw away
3) A pile to keep

Start by removing everything from the garage. All of it. This will give you access to the space to actually clean it (after all, it is spring CLEANING, not spring re-arranging). This is why you need decent weather. Take everything out of the garage, and create three piles: things to give away, things to throw away and things to keep.

Put the things to throw away farthest from the door so you don't take up precious space and have less distance to walk to return the things you're keeping. If you have a lot of things to get rid of, consider a pickup truck from a friend, or renting a dumpster for the day. Remember, these are things that can't be fixed, that no one can use.

For things that you'll give away, move these things to a place where people can pick them up. Heavy items that need two people should have plenty of space around them to allow for safe lifting. For everything else, try to coordinate pick-ups on the same day so you're not left with a driveway full of stuff that you need to put BACK in to the garage. if you have items that shouldn't be thrown away, but don't have a recipient, consider your local Good will or Salvation Army; Habitat for Humanity for appliances, Freecycle.org to connect with people who are looking for what you have or a simple FREE sign...in some parts of the country, simply putting things out on the curb will have them gone in no time.

For the keepers, try to keep them close to the entry of the garage. You don't want to walk any more than necessary.

Forth? The actual cleaning.

1) Use tried and true cleaning guidelines: top to bottom; dry to wet. Start with your vacuum cleaner (put in a new filter...it's going to clog, so you might as well start with a new filter to extend your cleaning time) and vacuum the entire garage. It might sound crazy for a space that gets a lot of abuse, but vacuuming will help you start with a clean slate, and once everything is removed, you can see more easily if you have problems with rodent droppings, insect infestations, holes where water is seeping in. Vacuuming those places will make taking the next steps easier.

2) Windows: Now's the time...if you have windows and now have access, and cleaner windows mean the garage will be brighter and easier to see in the daylight.

3) Floors: If you have oil stains, grease or other hazards, now's the time to minimize the damage. Removing the stains means a safer floor, easier to clean up when the next spill happens, and easier to see new stains, which can indicate new problems that might otherwise go unnoticed. Follow the directions on your cleansing solution, and be sure to allow time for the floor to dry before resuming work.

4) Maintenance: Oil all the doors, window and garage door parts; think about adding additional lighting to work areas; add a new mat to the door to the inside of your house if your garage is connected. Now is also a good time to replace the door seals around the garage door(s), too, to keep water and debris out.

And last? Putting it all away. For many folks, this is a time to reorganize the garage. That might mean shelving, hooks, baskets, pegboard, bins, boxes, containers and the like. Now that you have a (smaller) pile of keep-items, you can see what you have left to handle. Keep in mind that getting things off the floor is best, for sweeping and cleaning, for unplanned water entry, and to help avoid tripping hazards. Think about the ceiling and the walls for storage. And then take some time to go to your local home improvement store to check out what they have.

There are storage solutions for almost everything: bikes, sporting goods, lawn and garden items. Closed shelves with doors are more expensive, but provide a cleaner, less cluttered look. Open shelving allow for quick access, usually cost less and make it easy to put things back. Pegboard is super-inexpensive and still has a place in most garage organizing. If you have a lot of seasonal sport gear, (skis, snowshoes, etc.), think about storing those things up high. Bikes hung by their wheels create a lot of extra floor space. Lawn and garden items stored closer to the door mean easier access. And a simple boot tray and hooks by the door along with a no-frills bench create a quick, easy place to remove muddy shoes and wet clothes.

There are several companies that make garage-specific storage solutions for everything you might have in your garage, all color-coordinated for a consistent look and theme. And of course, nowadays, custom garage planners are in most major cities and for a fee you can have a custom garage solution designed just for you and your stuff. Think custom flooring, flat-screen tv's, refrigerators...the sky's the limit!

Garages are central to many of our lives: storage of our stuff, protection for our cars, places to get ready to leave, and the first place we often go to when returning home. Garages with simple custom touches that are clean, well-lit and organized also sell better and increase a home's value.

Spring cleaning the garage can be simple. A few hours, some friends, and a little planning go a long way to creating a great space that offers something for everyone in your family.