123JUNK House Makeover: Clean Out Your Garage

Cleaning Out and Organizing Your Garage in A Safe, Efficient, and Sustainable Manner

The garage is a welcomed addition to any house. They offer our automobiles protection from harsh weather and often provide much needed storage space for bicycles, non-perishables, and other items which don’t really belong either outside or inside the house itself.

However, all too often the garage becomes a catch-all for items we don’t really need but can’t bring ourselves to get rid of. In fact, these days relatively few garages actually house the automobiles for which they were designed, and some are even impossible or dangerous to try and walk through (sound familiar?)! Good news: One of our specialties is helping others clean out their garage.

While we leave it to the owner to decide what is worth keeping and what is not, our prioritization motto of “donate, recycle, dispose” guides us in making the most of items you have chosen to get rid of as well as ones you wish to recycle.

While we do not ourselves provide consultation on what to keep or dispose of, 123JUNK is an affiliate member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), and can advise clients on where to find help in making such decisions, so long as proper notice is given beforehand.

There are 3 categories (lovingly referred to as: piles) to consider when cleaning out the garage:

1- Donate/Recycle: we can advise you on what items do or don’t qualify for donation to charitable organizations, and can advise and assist clients in the process of finding the appropriate organization to take donateable items. As usual, we will follow through in assisting with donations by ensuring that items are neither damaged themselves nor do damage to other items during the cleanout process.

For items you are unable to donate, we always seek to get all recycleable items to the proper center and in the proper manner. Some items may need to be disassembled or grouped together for efficient recycling, and we have the knowledge and skills to assist you in this process.

2- True trash: This pile is composed of items no good to anyone. We are able to dispose of these items safely and quickly while minimizing inconvenience to you and ensuring neither your health nor your other belongings are endangered in the process.

3-Items to keep: we can help put large and cumbersome items back in the garage, and do it in such a manner which leaves the items and your life more organized than before. For example, bicycles can be hung upside-down from ceiling hooks, transforming this bulky item with its wide handlebars and pedals into one which takes up virtually none of your precious garage space.

Time to Compartmentalize

Compartmentalizing items with the use of shelves, bins, etc. goes a long way, but many people who independently visit container stores experience false optimism which leads to more waste and clutter, and gets in the way of the long-term outcomes for which the organizing began in the first place. People often see themselves becoming the most organized person as they go through store, and sometimes buy things they won’t really use.

We not only help you get organized, but also help you become realistic about what your garage will look like and how to make it sustainable. Doing this helps prevent wasted money on unneeded organizing materials and helps maintain the organization which is established on the day of cleanup far into the future.