When you were out browsing for houses you could buy and call home one day you were probably looking for a house with a garage, so you have a place to store your car. And, make no mistake about it, storing your car in a garage is incredibly important. Keeping it away from the elements will save you a lot of money in the long run. You won’t have to take the car to the carwash as often, and it won’t rust as quickly as it would if you just left it outside.
Unfortunately, after a few years have gone by, you might start noticing that your garage no longer stores a vehicle. Instead, it is full of cardboard boxes, lawn tools, and toys. That situation is the reality for tens of thousands of families across the country. To our dismay, there isn’t much we can do to prevent the amount of stuff piling up over the years. After all, if you simply don’t have enough storage space in your house, you have to use what you have. Unless you can do without all of those things, they will end up in the garage.
So, the solution seems quite obvious. All you need to do is get enough storage space for your things. Renting out a self-storage unit can greatly assist in decluttering your garage.
How to choose which items go to the self-storage?
Your garage is full of things you don’t use every day. But, you do use those things from time to time, and you actually need them. So, how can you figure out which items should go? We would recommend starting with the seasonal gear. That way, you will have to spend an afternoon every six months to rearrange everything.
Each spring, you should move all of your winter equipment from your garage and into the storage. You won’t find a good use for your snow shovels, skis, sledges, Christmas trees and decoration, during the warm months.
Conversely, as the summer comes to an end, you can start moving your pool items, garden furniture, and camping gear out. You can even move your lawnmower into the storage unit once the weather starts getting cold.
How much storage do you need?
Most people aren’t aware that not all storage units are the same. Depending on the number of things you have, you will need storage units of different sizes. We would always recommend checking those units out in person before renting one out. It might end up saving you a lot of money.
Also, there are some steps you could take before you invest into storage. Remember, you can save a lot of money in the long run if you take a smaller storage room. But, the only way to do so is to have fewer things you need to store away. So, start by organising your garage.
- Look around to see if you have any free wall space. If you do, use it to install shelves and pegboards. Doing so will greatly increase the number of usable surfaces you have in the garage.
- Go through all of the things in your garage and check them for damage. In our experience, most families store a lot of things they would be better off without. If you have a lot of clutter in your garage, a part of it might just be thrash. So, throw it away.
- Get as many bins and boxes as you can. You can free up a lot of space by putting any small items in containers.
You would also do well to remember that you can use those same tips for the things you are taking to the storage unit. While renting a unit can greatly assist you in finding the space you need, organising the unit, as well as the garage, can help you get by with a smaller self-storage unit.
Reclaim Your Garage
Once you free up some space in the garage, it’s time for you to start parking your car there. We would recommend marking the edges of the area where your car will go. That way, you can know without guessing if an item is in the area you want to park your car in. Furthermore, explain to the rest of your family that the area is for the car only. Failing to communicate your wishes can simply fill the area up with clutter again.
