Follow these simple steps to help you purge and rearrange your garage, turning a frustrating space into a functional space so you can lay out garage floor mats and make your garage feel welcoming!
Empty The Entire Garage
It may sound painful, but trust us, it’s the only way to go! Check the weather first, but clear that garage out! It’ll be much simpler to assess your storage needs if you can get a good look at what you’re working with.
Organize your belongings into designated areas in your driveway or lawn: 1.things to keep, 2. things to donate or sell and 3. things to throw out or recycle. With everything cleared out of your workspace, you’ll now be able to scrub down all the flat surfaces and install/rearrange shelving, hooks and other organizational materials without your stuff in the way.
Clean The Garage Floors
Remove the dirt and grime in your now-empty garage. You need to do this with portable garages too. Use a shop-vac or an indoor/outdoor vacuum cleaner to suck up any loose dust, dirt and cobwebs. Next, depending on your desired level of clean, pressure wash your floors for a deep clean, or hose down your garage floor, or you may also choose to sweep then mop by hand.
If you’ve been considering painting your garage floor so it looks like this, now’s a great time to tackle that project.
Tackle Your Garage Organization
If you don’t already have shelving, hooks, racks and other organizational aids in place, now is the time to do it. Think about where you want things to be stored in the long run. This means considering how often you use certain items, who uses them, and during which seasons.
7 Tips to Clean & Organize Your Garage
1. Store sports balls using bungee cords. This genius storage solution allows you to easily access your ball collection, and it’s a cinch to put together.
2. Separate your garage into zones. Keep sports equipment, gardening accessories, power tools and kids’ toys each in their own area of the garage to keep things organized.
3. Install slatwall panels. This allows you to easily hang and rearrange hooks and baskets.
4. Get things off the ground. Use a storage system or build shelves to clear floor space. Becareful with how you configure this though, we have had reports of people damaging their garage door because of the way they have organized their garage. Requiring the services similar to Garage Doors Denver to get their garage door back in working order.
5. Keep your garden and yard work tools organized. Use wall hooks and bins, Build a tool rack. These DIY hooks are cheap and simple to build on your own. All you need are nails and a board to keep your garden tools beautifully or
organized.
6. Screw organization. Literally – keep your screws organized with this clever storage idea that uses dead space underneath a cabinet or shelf.
7. Bike rack. Bikes can be a storage nightmare, especially when they go in and out of the garage every day. Here are 5 simple solutions.
Helpful Storage Products We Use & Recommend
Wire shelving is the perfect place to start when it comes to garage organization. It’s clean and modern looking, can sit on the floor, be mounted to the wall, or sit on casters for mobility. They can be customized to virtually any shelf configuration for your specific needs. If you’ve got stuff to store, this shelving will keep it neat and tidy. These are available at most big box stores.
- Wall-Mount Rack With Bins For garages
with lots of small items like nuts and bolts, a great solution are these amazing wall-mounted storage bins.! You can label each bin and they are even easy to install! Woot!
Plastic Storage Box Plastic storage bins like these can be used for just about anything: boating gear, fishing gear, car wash supplies, bike helmets, or tools. We like bins with the attached interlocking lid rather than a separate lid as they don’t ever get lost! They’re stackable the contents are viewable!
- Tool Caddy Paint brushes, spray paint, electrical cords,
gardening tools, cleaning supplies… this Tote Caddy holds it all! It’s rugged, sturdy and the easy handle makes it portable, so you can move quickly and efficiently from project-to-project.
Utility Cart This is a mobile workstation that can hold a lot of weight, It has multiple bin configurations for even more organization, and has a space to place your morning cup of coffee! Boom. We’re sold! This 1-drawer utility cart is a garage necessity!
Detailed garage organization depends mostly on what items are in it, but these general principles should definitely get you started.
What garage organization ideas have worked for you? Leave your suggestions and comments below!.
~ The Cleaning Crew
Technology has definitely made life – and cleaning – easier! No complaints here!
But even robotic vacuums and fancy dishwashers can’t replace the timeless housekeeping tips, tricks and memories of our mothers and grandmothers.
We have asked our clients and cleaners to share their generational cleaning tips, tricks and memories so that we can share their nostalgia and brilliance with you!
Treat your laundry with care!
“My mom always insisted we rush to the dryer as soon as it chimed to pull the sheets out. We’d then pull in opposite directions to remove wrinkles. Sometimes it would turn into a little tug of war with more than a few giggles. But heck, it sure beat ironing them!” ~ Joan
Hot wax spilled all over…..the carpet?
Candle wax often finds its way onto our carpets, area rugs, or upholstery. But with this quick tip you can easily get the candle wax out and make your carpet as good as new. With a damp rag and a steaming iron removing spilled wax is easy. After preheating your iron place a wet but not dripping rag flat over the waxy spill. Place the hot iron on top of the rag and check every 15 sec. till the wax transfers onto the cloth. You may have to re-adjust the rag a few times to remove all spilled wax. This may not work on every wax though so you might need to give your carpet a steam cleaning to get all the wax off.
“I tried to tell my grandma it was the cat that spilled the hot candle wax on the carpet, but I think she knew better! (I don’t think cats like fire as much as curious 9 year olds.) I thought I was doomed, but she didn’t freak out. She calmly went to the utility room and returned with her iron and a damp rag. She got the iron hot, placed the damp rag over the spill, and started ironing away. It took several passes, but eventually all the wax got absorbed into the damp cloth. The carpet was good as new! I told my grandma I’d keep a closer eye on the cat. Grandma? She gave me a knowing wink and waltzed back to her utility room. Lesson learned!” ~Adrian
“If candle wax drips on your tablecloth, rub it with an ice cube until they get hard, and use a butter knife to pop them off.” – Lauren
Housekeeping Secrets Every Mom Should Teach Her Kids
“My mom was ahead of her time. Maybe it was her years living in a commune in the 70’s, but she was always suspicious of harsh chemical cleaners. She insisted on using natural products to clean the house – and taught us kids to do the same. Her go-to? Vinegar. Mold, mildew, and just plain old grime didn’t stand a chance. I still use it to this day!” ~Bev
What’s your secret use for vinegar? Here at the Cleaning Crew we use vinegar a ton with lots of variations. Here’s a great one we found from @ModernDayMom. Give it a try & let us know what you think!
Orange Vinegar – A Greener Cleaner!
Let orange peels soak in vinegar for 2 weeks in a cool dark place, then remove the orange peels and dilute with water by 50% in your regular spray bottle to add extra cleaning power to your natural cleaner. Check out these other effective and zesty recipes on Pinterest!
Busy Mom Secrets For a Cleaner Home
Clean your microwave in 30 seconds! Place a couple slices of lemon or 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into a bowl with 1/2 cup of water. Place in the microwave for 30 seconds – 1 minute and wipe away stuck on food in a snap without scrubbing!
“There’s nothing more refreshing than the sparkling fresh scent of lemons in the air. My mother’s home always had a hint of citrus. She knew that squeezing lemon juice into salt and wiping down the counter top would remove stains and disinfect just like a magic eraser. She would also remove stains from our lunchbox Tupperware by squeezing lemon juice into the stained dish and then adding baking soda. She would then use a small brush to work in the lemon and baking soda into the stains and allow it to sit. If the stain was bad, she would let it sit overnight before rinsing with warm water. There’s nothing like the fresh smell of home”
~ Sue
“At the end of the day, pick up miscellaneous items throughout the house, and put them into a pick-up basket. When you have more time, you can put everything in its proper place.” – Maria
Baking Soda Magic
“Sprinkle baking soda on carpet and let sit for several minutes before vacuuming. Keeps things fresh!”
~ Carrie Ann
“Pour some baking soda in the washing machine to remove the musty smell from towels.” ~ Nancy
We hope you’re able to take advantage of some of these old-school, time-honored organic cleaning methods in your own home. Your Mother & Grandmother would be proud.
~ The Cleaning Crew
Kick start spring cleaning with these six easy cleaning tips. Your home will feel instantly fresh and clean, and YOU will be a Spring Cleaning Super Hero!
1. Cleaning Drapes and Blinds
Your drapes and blinds may look clean, but they can collect a surprising amount of dust, oil, pollution, smoke, pollen and bacteria. Yuck! Cleaning your window treatments regularly will help to remove grime and keep unwanted allergens at bay. Here’s how
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Blinds – Use a cloth with BioKleen for an easy dust fighting solution.
Mix one to two capfuls of BioKleen with one gallon of water, and moisten your cloth with the solution. Clean blinds by wiping the cloth along both sides of the window slats to remove dust and buildup. Repeat the process on every slat until the dust is gone.
* This cleaning trick is safe for wood, plastic and metal surfaces
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Drapes – Weekly care: gently shake drapes once a day and vacuum once a month to keep dirt and dust from lodging in the fabric.
Machine wash drapes using the short, gentle cycle. Use cool water and mild detergent and line dry or tumble dry on a delicate or air setting. Once draperies are dry, touch them up with your iron if necessary by pressing on the reverse side of the drapes.
* Have a professional cleaner dry-clean your drapes that are not washable. Check product labeling for directions for your drapes
2. Easy Pet hair removal
We all love our pets! Hey, they’re family right?! But they can leave truckloads of pet hair everywhere! Here’s a surprisingly quick and easy solution to remove pet hair from your furniture.
- Rubber gloves or latex gloves are great pet hair removers. Simply dampen the rubber glove and run your hand over the cloth surface to attract the pet hair and rinse gloves off as needed. If you don’t have rubber gloves handy, try a slightly wet rag instead. The glove will give you more control than a strip of tape and is far more effective, as gloves include Zinc Carbonate BPC, which is used as a layer to protect the rubber and give it its transparency. If you’re worried about moisture damaging your furniture, test this method on a small area before going at the whole couch! Be inspired with this how to video from Clean My Space
3. Cleaning refrigerator coils & pan pull out
Once a year, this maintenance chore will do more than any other to extend the life of your refrigerator and keep it operating efficiently all year.
- Unplug the refrigerator, and then move the unit away from the wall.
- Pull the drip pan out from under the refrigerator and empty it. Soak it in warm, sudsy water in the sink while you tend to the rest of the job.
- To clean the coils, remove the cover panel and gently vacuum the coils with a long-narrow vacuum attachment.
- Return the clean drip pan and cover back onto the refrigerator.
- Before you push the unit back into place, clean the wall behind the refrigerator and vacuum the floor where the dirt has fallen.
- Plug the refrigerator in and return it to its usual spot. Turn on the refrigerator and freezer. It should be cold within about 15 minutes.
If you have a fridge with a water dispenser built in, part of your regular maintenance should be checking the filter as they do need replacing from time to time. To help in the purchasing of a new one, use this review of some good options.
4. Cleaning the dishwasher
Learn how to clean your dishwasher with vinegar and baking soda to keep it running efficiently and smelling fresh! Check out Tidy Mom’s helpful step-by-step instructions.
5. Easy drain cleaner tip
Try a Natural enzyme drain cleaner! You can simply use a store bought or homemade disinfectant spray. Its powerful, enzyme-based formula will break down drain-clogging elements. This also helps prevent further clogs by removing years of buildup in your kitchen disposal and washing machine. Also try lemon peels in your garbage disposal, it will keep it running fresh and clean . . . naturally! If your drains are too clogged to manage by yourself then you can get a Tucson plumbing company in to help unblock them.
6. Give your garbage a shower
Cleaning the kitchen trash can is a household to-do that’s easily overlooked. Follow these quick and easy steps to better smelling garbage.
- Rinse Take your empty trash can outside and spray it with a hose. Right now, you’re just trying to remove big pieces of food and debris.
- Disinfect – If your trash can has only a slight odor, try spritzing vinegar onto the can, which will absorb the smell. For a trash cans with a stronger odor, use an enzyme-based cleaner. Whichever one you choose, be sure to spray the entire trash can, including the bottom and inside.
- Scrub and rinse. Scrub all areas of your trashcan using an all-natural cleanser such as Biokleen and then rinse thoroughly. Pat dry with a towel or if possible air-dry your trashcan outside in the sunlight to eradicate any remaining bacteria or mold.
There you go! Six super quick spring cleaning tips that are easy to do and will help to keep your home sparkling clean.
What are a few of your favorite spring cleaning tips?
Happy Cleaning!
