The garage doesn’t have to be a mess

Set aside at least a full day or preferably a weekend for this project so you get everything done at once. It can be frustrating to look for your stuff among boxes, falling piles and dusty objects. In a clean garage or storage room, it's easier to find what you need without getting irritated or stressed.

Avoid these mistakes:

• Start as soon as possible without any plan. Just going through the motions does not always lead to the best result. Think about how to make your storage more practical before you start.
• Put things back in random piles and unlabeled boxes. Putting your things on shelves or hanging them on hooks will make them easier to find in the garage. Labeling the boxes with their contents will help you find them even faster.
• Take care of things that are to be sold, recycled or thrown away. The storage room will become less useful if you leave unnecessary items there for years.
• Getting rid of things that are still useful. Think before you get rid of something. It might turn out that you need it in the future even though you haven't used it for a while.
• Leave broken items or items in need of repair in the storage room that you intend to take care of later. Think now whether or not you will have both the time and the will to repair a broken item.
• Be too optimistic. If you leave the garage or storage room packed without getting rid of anything, you will achieve a plus or minus zero result. The storage room will remain impractical and cramped and you won't be able to enjoy the results of the deep clean.

The tips that will make you succeed:

• Critically review the storage space well in advance of starting the project. Has the wall space been used efficiently? Consider whether more shelves, hooks, storage boxes, labeling pens, toolboxes, assortment cabinets or moving boxes are needed in the storage room.
• Think about whether the things you want to keep are properly packed or is there a reason to buy bubble wrap or other protective materials?
• Pay attention to the material of the shelves and the method of attachment. The shelves should be able to hold even heavy objects.
• Check carefully for traces of pests. Pelican is a safe place to store your belongings. You don't have to worry about pests, changing weather or dirt and dust coming from outside.
• Check whether the lighting in the storage room is sufficient. If you need more lighting that you can provide yourself, buy the lights well in advance before you start the project.
• Find out the location and opening hours of recycling centers, hazardous waste management stations and landfills. Plan how you will get things transported. Do you have a car or need to borrow a trailer? You can also post items you want to get rid of on Facebook groups where it is possible to sell or give things away. What you consider to be junk may be useful to someone else.
• Take the items out of storage and sort them according to their use. Think about which items you want to keep, sell or donate and which should go to the recycling center, hazardous waste station, landfill or be stored elsewhere.
• The items you are going to keep can also be sorted into different piles according to their function. For example, tools and sports equipment should be put in separate piles.
• Once the storage room is empty, it's time to vacuum and sweep the floor. Depending on the flooring material, you can also wet mop the floor with a damp mop. If there is a window in the room, you should also wash and clean it. The storage room will be brighter when daylight enters through the window pane.
• When things are outside the storage room, think about which items are used the most. These items are best placed as close to the door as possible. Put in the storage racks that are needed and put things in their place.
• Make efficient use of wall space. Free up important floor space by installing rods and hooks on the walls where you can later hang the tools you need most. In addition, you can install magnetic strips on the walls and thus conveniently hang several tools at once.
• The things you use less often can be placed, for example, on the back wall of the garage or in the upper part of the room. The upper part of the garage is an excellent storage space for long and low items such as skis or ladders. Make sure there is always a ladder or a stool in the garage so that you can reach the items stored higher up.
• When putting things back in their place, it is best to evaluate the usefulness of each item once more, although it may take some extra time. There is no point in having unusable junk in the storage room.
• If, despite the basic planning, you notice during the course of the project that something essential is missing, such as more drawers or hooks, write it down immediately so that you don't forget it later!
• When the cleaning and reorganization project is over, enjoy the results. Take a look at the storage room and give yourself a pat on the back.