(This post was originally published on May 13, 2015 and updated on July 26, 2019).
Did you know that 57% of people with two-car garages don’t have room to park cars inside them — or have room for only one vehicle? I think you know why. Because instead of getting rid of stuff, we throw it out in the garage!
If you’re ready to take on the challenge of cleaning your garage, now’s the time to get to it. With a few simple organization ideas, tidying up your garage and keeping it neat and clean is not only possible, it’s very doable. Here’s the plan…
Declutter first
Depending on the size of your garage and the amount of clutter, choose a full day or a full weekend to dedicate to decluttering and organizing your garage.
Make cleaning your garage a family project. Include family members, relatives or a few close friends. This will help speed up the process.
Go through every single item and sort into four piles – Keep, Donate, Sell, Toss.
A good tip for judging which items to let go of is to ask yourself one and only one question: Have I used this in the past year? If your answer is no, then it’s time to get rid of it.
Do not keep items that you think you may use someday. Wouldn’t you rather have the space those items are taking up…right now?
Having a hard time letting go of things you spent a lot of money on? The money has already been spent, so whether you keep the item (and never use it) or let it go, the money spent on it is not coming back. It’s best to just let go and make better spending decisions in the future.
Trash or recycle items you’ve decided to toss.
Pack up items to be donated in your car and drop them off at the nearest donation center.
Set aside items you plan to sell at an upcoming yard sale, online, or local consignment stores. If you are planning to have a yard sale, schedule it now.
Organize what’s left
Once that’s done and all of the clutter is out, it’s time to start organizing. First, figure out how much space your car(s) will take and then work with what’s left by placing items in spaces based on their types and uses:
Frequently Used: Keep items that you use frequently, such as shopping bags and pet leashes within easy reach – perhaps on hooks by the door.
Items Used Together: Create zones for groups of things such as auto care, gardening, and sports equipment so that like items are stored together.
Bulkier Items: Use the two back corners of the garage to store bulkier items such as a lawn mowers or snowthrower.
Rarely Used: Place rarely used items, such as holiday decorations or snow tires, on higher shelves of sturdy shelving units or consider installing a ceiling storage system. Just make sure your garage door doesn’t interfere with the ceiling storage.
Tools and Bicycles: Tools such as shovels and rakes and bicycles are best stored by hanging on the wall.
Note: If you’re using cardboard boxes as storage containers, you might want to seriously consider investing in some plastic bins that will keep insects and rodents from taking up residence in your house.
Keep it tidy
Once you’re done with all of that, you’ll have a cleaner garage that is organized nicely. The next step is to make efforts year round to keep it that way.
Keep floor space as free as possible.
Spray for pests from time to time to keep insects at bay.
Sweep and hose down the floors regularly to get out dirt.
And the most important step of all: Repeat at least once a year to purge what’s no longer wanted or needed.
This article was submitted by Garaga, Canada’s leading garage door manufacturer.
3 Office Furniture Trends That are Gaining Traction in 2019
We are taking a look at three office furniture trends that are rising in popularity this year.
Although there is something to be said about simple, straightforward design, looking at your office’s layout and furniture with a critical eye can help you make choices that make your office a better and more comfortable place to work. Office design, like any other artistic genre, has ebbs and flows where certain types of furniture, office layout, and color are popular. Some people have seen a marked resurgence in the 1960s-era office furniture, and open floor plans have gained popularity as well. Today, we are taking a look at three office furniture trends that are rising in popularity this year.
1. Shared Tables
Shared tables allow unparalleled collaboration between employees and even entire departments. Especially in creative fields, having large work tables where anyone can come over and work with others allows for an invaluable exchange of ideas. Try placing large tables in multi-functional break areas, open offices, and other common areas to create a laid back atmosphere that fosters creative cooperation and productivity. Shared tables will be extremely popular with the extroverts in your office.
2. Privacy Pods
While working with others has its benefits, there is something to be said for working alone. Private areas are essential if your office has an open floor plan, as not all employees do their best work with others. Although some companies are creating full telephone booth-style private areas, you can find that high-backed chairs and workspaces that face walls can create the perfect alcove for the solo worker to shine. Make sure that your areas of refuge have plenty of power outlets so that introverts can bring their laptops and other tech with them.
3. Comfortable Furniture
One of the biggest trends this year (thankfully!) has been using comfortable furniture. Office designers are leaning towards creating casual environments that mimic home. These are especially valuable in creative and high-stress fields, as comfortable furniture can ease tension and allow creative types to let their minds wander — in a productive way, of course! Try choosing furniture with fewer hard lines. Pieces that are comfortable and welcoming will help your employees feel more at ease. Who knows, they may even enjoy coming to the office more!
Choose Edwards & Hill for Your Office Furniture and Design Needs
Are you ready to redesign your offices to maximize productivity and creative thinking? Edwards & Hill can help you design and install the perfect designs for your business. Edwards & Hill is a leading office, education, medical, and hospitality furniture provider with the high-quality design and installation services for any style or scale. If you are ready to get your office design started, contact us online or give us a call at 301-317-4250. For more furniture design tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Flickr, and YouTube.
EDWARDS & HILL WAS RECOGNIZED BY LIVE! CASINO & HOTEL & THE MARYLAND WASHINGTON MINORITY COMPANIES FOR OUR 20TH ANNIVERSARY!
