Spring cleaning tips for garages, storage areas

For many, spring symbolizes new beginnings. As the season approaches this year, however, home and business owners find themselves coping with an unprecedented situation – with limits on travel, shopping, activities and interaction with other people in general.
Physical distancing restrictions, while stressful and frustrating, may offer property owners an unexpected opportunity to make a new beginning in their home or business.
A spring cleaning project is a great way to put that unexpected “spare time” to good use.
“Warmer weather means you’ll soon need access to your gardening tools, planters, and patio furniture along with your bicycles, racquets, balls, bats, water toys, and more,” Bill George, of Bin There Dump That of Portland says. “If you clean out your garage, porch, shed, basement, or other storage area now, your tools and toys will be easy to access as soon as current restrictions are lifted.”
Here are some tips from the pros for home and business owners to create and carry-out a storage area spring cleaning plan, no matter what’s hanging, standing, stacked or propped-up in their way.
1. Commit. Set a date for “Project Spring Cleanup,” and arrange for a dumpster rental if you think you will need one. You can always join forces with a neighbor if you think you need help filling your dumpster.
2. Divide and conquer. Look around your storage space or spaces and make a list – or label – the items you are going to donate/sell, replace or toss.
3. Plan your space. Reserve floor space in garages and sheds for heavy equipment — like your car or riding mower – and for easy access to stored gear. For everything else, get creative with steel racks, shelving, overhead lofts, and ways to hang things from the ceiling of your space.
4. Out with the old. If you are using a dumpster, grab heavy-duty gloves and begin moving stuff out, discarding designated items into your dumpster as you go. Move your “keep” and “sell/donate” items to temporary holding spots.
5. Spruce up and set up. Once the clean-out is complete, sweep, scrub and even paint your storage space or spaces and install your new storage solutions. Then, put your storage plan into play and put everything from your “keep” pile in its place — easy to find and easy to reach.
“Don’t be tempted to return those ‘sell/donate’ items to your newly organized space,” George said. “While it may not be possible to schedule a yard sale alone or with your neighbors in the near future, you can plan to sell your items online or arrange to have them picked up by a charitable organization. Then, each time you open your garage or storage area door, you’ll feel the satisfaction of a job well done. Even better, you’ll look back at the time you spent cleaning as time well spent, as you enjoy having easy access to all your tools, toys, and equipment.”