At Spartan Junk Removal, junk and clutter removal isn’t the only thing we do. In fact, one of our most popular services in and around the Baltimore area is helping people to clean out their garage. Junk removal is certainly a part of this process, as there are inevitably many items that the owners don’t want to keep. However, in garage cleanup jobs, we also help the client to clean up their garage, organize it, and rearrange it in such a way where everything they need is easily accessible.
While we would never turn away somebody who wants help with a garage cleanup, wouldn’t it be better for you if you never had to resort to cleaning your garage at all?
In our time conducting junk removal services all throughout Maryland, we’ve seen more unkempt garages than we can count. In talking with our clients, looking at our own personal history, and observing in general, we’ve been able to pinpoint several bad habits that almost always lead to a messy garage.
Want to avoid having a garage that looks like it has been hit by a tornado? Just say no to these bad habits:
Bad Garage Habits
Not Parking Your Car Inside
The first sin that leads to a messy garage is a big one — not using the garage for what it’s actually intended for.
For most people, the most obvious way to use a garage is to stick a car inside. This is what garages were made for, after all, and if you make a habit of parking your car in there, you’ll find that you rarely have room to just dump piles of junk. The other great bonus about keeping your car inside is that you are also helping your car’s long-term lifespan.
Being inside a nice cozy garage is more forgiving than having to endure the elements outside — especially during a Maryland winter. And, who can forget about how nice it feels to drive to work in the snow without having to scrape your windshield first?
Not Having a Purpose For Your Garage
This second point can overlap with the one we just mentioned above, but it can also stand on its own — in short, it’s important to have an actual purpose for your garage.
If you have a car, it’s just like we mentioned — park your car inside! But even aside from that, you can have a general intention for how you want to use your garage. Will it be the storage space for your tools? Do you have a designated spot for bikes? What kinds of things do you want to keep in there?
And, if you don’t have a car, this opens up a lot of opportunities, because the garage can be a useful space if you take advantage of it. Do you have a hobby you’re invested in? Why not use your garage as its main hub? Perhaps you’re an artist and you see the potential of your garage as a glorified art studio. Do you have endless grandchildren raiding your home with frequent family visits? Garages can actually be great play areas for little tykes if you deck them out well and see to the right security measures.
The point is, you have a nice, big open space you can do whatever you want with — use it! If you have a plan for your garage, it’s a good way to avoid it becoming a great heaping mess.
Avoid Having a Junk Purgatory
Look, there’s no reason to be ashamed, because we all do it — it’s easy to just throw your stuff into “that” space when you have no idea where else to put it. Where is “that” space? For the majority of people, it’s the garage. In short, most garages get messy because people have all kinds of junk and clutter they need to store on a whim, and they have nowhere to put it. Sometimes we like to call this “junk purgatory.”
This problem stems mainly from people not knowing what to do with their things, and it’s solved by thinking of a specific destination for your stuff.
Got something that you’re not sure if you want to keep? It’s hard, but instead of throwing it into junk purgatory, make the decision then and there. Do you have a ton of stuff that’s uncategorized? Get creative with your sorting.
You can even designate your garage specifically to be a storage space. You might be asking how this is different from just throwing your junk in there. By having a designated storage space that you’re committed to, it’s easier to be more cognizant of its organization and structure.
If anything, it just comes down to avoiding the “I don’t know” mentality. If you don’t know what to do with an object, all you’re doing by throwing it into junk purgatory is procrastinating.
Not Including the Garage in the Chores
We’ve seen countless clients who have beautiful, pristine, organized homes, only for their garage to be a total trainwreck. Why is this? In most cases, it’s because people choose not to include their garage in their daily, weekly, or monthly chores.
The garage is often seen as the “lesser” part of the home. Because it’s unfinished, people often subconsciously feel a lesser need to keep it clean, and this, of course, leads to a garage that’s full of junk.
You don’t need to include your garage in your routine cleaning every single day — but giving it some attention once a week, or at least once a month will go a long way in preventing the need for major junk removal in the future.
Poor Lighting and Atmosphere
Another factor that’s easy to overlook is how comfortable your garage is. Did we have a different president in office the last time the lights worked? Were we in a different decade? Were there only six Star Wars movies the last time you turned them on? If the answer to any of these is “yes,” get those lights fixed!
A lot of garages become an organization hell because people don’t like being inside them. Why would you spend a lot of time in there if it’s freezing cold with lights that don’t work?
Fix up your garage’s lighting, and consider adding additional solutions such as lamps or christmas lights. Additionally, a nice space heater can go a long way in those cold months. Also, how about a nice rug to prevent your bare feet from turning into popsicles? We can bet you’ll avoid having a miserable, messy garage if you just make it comfier.
Garage Storage Solutions in Maryland
While these tips are great to remember for the future, for some people, it’s too late. If you’re one such person, stuck with an innavigable maze of a garage, it might be time to call us for junk removal and garage storage solutions.
Spartan Junk Removal has conducted garage cleanup jobs all over the state, and we are especially flexible in our areas of service now that we’ve opened up our brand new Towson location. Whether you’re in or around Baltimore, Towson, or any other town, we’ll be happy to stop by and give your garage the renovation it deserves. Contact us today!