Has your garage become a dumping ground for
broken furniture, kid’s toys, carpet remnants, and other junk? Or do you have
boxes in there that you never unpacked from a move years ago? If you want to
park your car in your garage this winter to avoid snow and ice, you need to get
to work clearing out the junk.
To make things easy-peasy, consider a
dumpster rental. By utilizing a roll-off dumpster, you avoid the trouble of
having to put everything into trash bags (which invariably rip). You also can
toss as much stuff as you want in one weekend without worrying about whether
the trash collection will require you to parcel loads out over several weeks.
You may have seen a roll-off dumpster
before. They have lower sides and an open top. You can toss trash and junk over
the sides, or carry heavy, bulky items in from one end. It’s advisable to put
big items in first.
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How to Clean Out Your Garage
The easiest way to clean out your garage is
to remove just about everything. You can place items in your driveway or yard.
You have 3 main choices of what to do with an item.
Toss
This is why you have the dumpster. If your
family is like most, the pile of what you toss should be the largest. Be brutal
as you go through things. If something is broken and you put it in the garage
more than a year ago, that means you’re really not going to get around to
fixing it. Toss it. This applies to furniture, lawn chairs, toys, electronics, tools,
etc.
Disposing of Restricted Items
It’s important to remember that just
because you have a roll-off dumpster, it doesn’t mean you can toss everything
in there. Be sure to check the dumpster rental company’s list of restricted items.
The list is the same industry-wide.
You may be able to dispose of some of those
items yourself. Check the Harford
County Waste Disposal website or the Baltimore
County Drop-Off Facilities for information on special Household Hazardous
Waste Drop-Off Days.
Recycle or Donate
The next thing to do is decide what is in
good enough shape to donate, or can be recycled. If you have a recycling bin,
put all the items your county accepts in there. Borrow a neighbor’s bin if you
have more than you can fit in yours.
If you have gently used kid’s toys or
gently used clothing, there are several places you can donate those items. If
you helped a parent downsize and they insisted you take furniture, pots and
pans, glassware, and other items that never made it into your house, it’s OK to
donate those items to free up space in your garage. Some organizations will
arrange pickup if you have large items or a large amount.
Keep
Your third pile or staging area will include
the items you want to keep. If you thought ahead, you put bins in this area, so
you can sort items as you bring them out of the garage. Keep like items with
like. For instance, Christmas decorations in bins of the same type or color.
Sporting goods in another type bin.
Give real thought to which items you keep.
If you got it at a yard sale thinking “someday, someone could use this” and
it’s still sitting in the garage, you don’t need to keep it. If something has
sentimental value, find a place inside your house to keep it.
Storage Solutions for What You’re Keeping
If you did a good job clearing out your
garage, you may have gotten rid of more than half of what was in there to begin
with. Congratulations! Now it’s time to move stuff back in, but in an organized
fashion. Keep reading for more tips.
Shelving with Bins
If you don’t already have shelving, now is
a good time to put some in. You can have shelving physically connected to the
wall, or free-standing shelves, or a combination of the two. You can also
attach a rack to the garage ceiling. Use bins to store seasonal items such as
Christmas decorations and sporting equipment. Label the bins clearly. Some
people use a color-coded system.
Use bins and shelving you already have, or
make a run to your local hardware store or big box store.
Repurpose Old Furniture
If you have an old dresser or bookshelf
that’s seen better days, consider repurposing it to use for garage storage. A
bookshelf can become a shoe rack, and dresser drawers can hold smaller items
such as replacement light bulbs, manuals, etc.
Vertical Storage
Got bikes? Hang them from the ceiling. It
makes sense to have bikes down low in the spring and summer months when people
are out riding more. But as the weather gets colder and you want to park your
car(s) in the garage, you need the space those bikes take up. Buy storage hooks
rated for the weight. Install them in the studs in an out of the way corner of
the garage. There are also pulley systems you can use to raise and lower bikes.
Keep Up the Good Work
Once you’ve cleared your garage and
organized everything you’re keeping, you’ll be amazed at how good it looks and
how much space you have. Keep things organized by putting things away rather
than just tossing them in the garage. This way you won’t have to try ad squeeze
your car in when a big snowstorm is headed our way.
Get a Quote for a Residential Dumpster Rental
Make clearing out your garage a breeze with
a residential dumpster rental. Just call 443-286-3284 or use the Get a Quote form to
get started. We offer convenient delivery and pickup of your roll-off dumpster
in Harford County and Baltimore County.
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