Seasonal Garage Refresh

​Time to refresh your garage for the new season-
Yes, it’s a thing!
If you have taken advantage of your garage and have turned it into another space that supports daily life, I’m glad! The garage is great real estate that can help you keep your home less cluttered when you have little ones.
A season refresh for your garage can really help you “keep it all together” especially when the new school year threatens to steal your calm!
Here are some steps to refresh your garage for the season-

Deciding what you want/need from your garage is step 1:

• Would you like to have the room to park cars?
  
• Or simply focus on functional storage?

Step 2: Create zones

Mudroom Zone

Tote summer accessories to make room for fall/winter accessories- Clear totes are best so you can see the contents and never buy duplicates. In your plastic tote store: goggles, swimmies, noodles, beach hats, anything that will not be used until next summer. Place these totes by zone next to the other summer accessories you may have like beach chairs, beach umbrellas, etc.
Tip on tote labels- use the same tote for winter accessories, one label on each side- side 1- Summer Accessories. Side 2- Winter Accessories. When the contents are swapped, the correct label faces forward. One tote, 2 uses!!

Garden Zone

Are you all done with the mulching?? Thank goodness, me too! (not my favorite summer chore!)
Garden supplies can shift to the back of your garden zone/shelf so you can make room for winter/fall supplies. Potting soil closed tightly shifts to the back/side to make room for salt (if you will be getting ice/snow). Leave your shovel close by still if you will be planting bulbs in the fall, and plant food if you're planning on feeding your perennials one last time.

Sports Zone

Of course they'll be a good amount of sports supplies that are used throughout the year like: basketballs, soccer balls, frisbees, etc. BUT, think of the stuff specifically for fall/winter: ice skates, sleds, etc. Are these items up on roof racks? up on hooks? Move them down, you'll need them before you know it.
Tip on other winter activities: Consider moving pumpkin carving  supplies and snowman building supplies to this section, easy grab/easy fun!

Decorations

4th of July and Easter totes can be moved to the back of the shelves or moved up to the roof racks (if you have any)
​Moving forward or down from the racks are your upcoming holiday decorations like Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas/Hanukkah.
Tip on decorations: before you swap your totes/boxes, take a few minutes to go through what you have, toss/donate anything that you are looking to upgrade or anything that's broken. By adding this step you'll know what you need to shop for, no more discovering broken lights as you are ready to put them up!

Declutter as you go

Of course this is a great opportunity to declutter your garage as you prepare it for the next season or two!
My favorite organizing tools you ask?
A donation box and a trash bag!
Here's a list of items garage items to declutter:

• Old paint- changed wall colors in your home a few times? That older paint can go. Check with your local agencies on how to properly dispose of it.
• Bikes and other outgrown toys. Kiddos grow fast, time to let go of the smaller equipment
• Broken garden hoses- do you have one that's been giving you trouble for a while? Time for a new one!
• Empty boxes- Have you been saving boxes because of "what if I ever need it"? If it's been several years and they haven't been used, give yourself permission to let go
• Old/Expired chemicals- You probably have a collection of bug spray, fertilizer, anti-freeze, etc. 
• Grungy Shoes- The ones you've been gardening in for many years, time for "new" (older/new ones)

Hope you feel just a bit more relaxed and "on top of things" after you give your garage a little hug to get it ready for the new season!