If your garage is a wild mess, you aren’t alone. According to a survey from Gladiator GarageWorks, 1 in 4 Americans say their garage is too cluttered to fit their car.
Aside from the most glaring setback—not being able to fit your car—you’re missing out on several great features by not resolving to have a clean garage.
From aesthetic appeal to functionality, the benefits of having a clean garage cannot be understated. Read our garage organization guide below to learn how to improve your garage space.
How to Clean Your Garage
First things first, all those dust-infested cardboard boxes filled with old clothes and other ancient artifacts can go. Check through your boxes and containers at least once. You don’t want to throw away anything important.
Here are some useful tips to make this process easier:
- Set aside a full day to free up your garage space
- Don’t go it alone if you don’t have to. Invite friends and family to help
- Follow the 4-pile rule: Keep, give away, recycle, and electronics
- Lay objects on dedicated tarps based on the 4-pile rule
- Schedule a date for a yard sale. Weekends are best
Two years and no use? Still don’t plan to use it? Time for it to go. Once you’re done slogging away at the disposables and lobbing them into the front yard for the garbage men to pick up, your garage should be empty, but dirty. One last clean sweep and you’ll be ready to take the next step.
Improving Your Newly Clean Garage
You can organize and improve your garage on your own, but many garage improvement companies offer free space planning and product services. Use their services to optimize features such as:
- Getting the best out of your garage’s dimensions
- Where to put your tools and accessories
- Determining how much space your car will need based on its size
- Installing shelving units to keep your items off the floor
- Buying the best storage products
- Sprucing your garage floor up with Polyurea and Polyaspartic coatings
Specialized coatings don’t just make your garage look gorgeous. Unlike traditional concrete floors, they can withstand a lot of wear and tear and are unaffected by the weather.
Upgrading your garage door will also make your garage stand out. Most modern garage doors are quieter, safer, and more convenient than older brands.
Items You Shouldn’t Store in Your Garage
Be careful about what you put in your garage. If you leave some things in your garage, they could either get ruined or pose a safety risk.
Some of these items include:
- Propane tank: Leave this outside. One spark and it could go off.
- Paint storage: Paint can be ruined by extreme heat or cold
- Paper: Bugs are attracted to this material
- Food: Animals will smell it and claw their way in to get it
- Fridge: If your garage isn’t air-conditioned, it could drain excess energy
However, you can safely store items like lawnmowers, lawnmower gas, sports-equipment, hand tools, etc., as long as they remain in the back of the garage. Mount a fire extinguisher near the lawnmower gas and install a carbon monoxide detector to give you added peace of mind.
Did You Find This Information Useful?
Cleaning and reorganizing your garage can be a lot of hard work, but we can assure you a clean garage is always worth it, especially if you hire a professional to assist you!
If you want to know more about our beautiful garage coatings, book an appointment with Garage Force today!