Park Your Car in the Garage? What a Novel Idea!

Do you hate running out in the rain to your car? Do you look forward to scraping your windshield in the frost of the morning? Wouldn't it be great to park your car in the safety and warmth of your garage? We organizers always think it's interesting on how a valuable investment, such as a car, sits on the street, vulnerable to theft and wear, while the garage interior houses all sorts of things that are worth - not that much...

Now is the time to take advantage of the last few days of clear skies. If you jump on this opportunity you can prep yourself for a stress free winter.

Here's how:

Pick a day for a family garage-a-palooza. Invite an organizer, friends and/or family to help. Schedule a pick up or drop off with a friendly donation organization. When the day arrives, eat a hardy breakfast, get dressed up in your grubbiest clothes and grab the tools -- empty boxes, garbage bags, tape and markers for labeling. Take a quick stretch to get warmed up for the big job ahead.

Ok! Ready, set and go! Set aside staging areas for trash, donate and keep. Labeling them with duct tape on the ground helps keep you focused. Begin at one corner of the garage. Ask yourself questions like "Do I need this", "Do I LOVE this", and "Do I use this". Keep in mind the last time you used a particular object - if it was more than a year ago it is probably safe to say goodbye. Remember, your reward will be huge! Consider this; how long has "clean up the garage" on your "to do" list?

Once you have cleared, sorted and had your donations and trash items picked up, it is time to put the "keep" items back. When it comes to garage - think vertical. Tall shelving units like post industrial shelving will allow you to take advantage of the ALL the wall space. Clear bins for storage will save your stuff from the mold and dampness of many garages as well as giving you a visual reminder of its contents. And don't forget to label, label, label. There are also many storage solutions for tools and bikes available at home improvement stores and organizing stores.

Sweep the garage down, hang some hooks for extra winter coat storage, check that all the lights are as bright as they can be and congratulate yourself! Whew, what a great feeling - no more freezing fingers and late mornings this winter! And your vehicle has a clean, safe home, perhaps for the first time!

Interested in more ways to clear clutter and gain control of your environment? Get our free eBook: The Getting Started Workbook: Overcoming Fear, Procrastination and Overwhelm When Starting An Organizing Project at http://www.emptyyournest.com