New Home Building And Space

in Home Organizing, Move Organizing, Uncategorized

ClutterBGone, your home organizers in Toronto, have been to many newly built homes and we’re constantly amazed at how little thought goes into storage when designing and building new homes. Sure, you get closets and pantries and kitchen cupboards but regardless of whether your home is a small condo in Toronto or a large estate home in Aurora, more thought needs to go into how you’re going to store your belongings to get and stay organized.

The ceiling is the limit

Think height when you design new homes and where you will be storing your items. Nine-foot ceilings, and higher, offer a lot of potential space for storage but ensure you have incorporated accessibility as well. Shelves, racks and cabinets can all be installed to take advantage of wasted space.

Kitchens

The kitchen is the most used room in your home and is normally the most disorganized and cluttered even when you have loads of cupboards and shelving. I would never build a home without slide out shelves in the kitchen cupboards and pantries or rotating turntable in every corner cupboard.

Slide out shelves allow you to bring everything to you without having to play Tetris knocking thing over just to find what you want. Putting items away and keeping them organized is so much easier as well. A turntable that comes in various sizes eliminates those hard to reach areas in the cupboard. You know the ones I mean. The areas where we literally toss items into and hope we don’t need them again for a long time.

As professional organizers working in Toronto, Oakville, and York Region, we’ve worked on many new builds to ensure that the space being designed will actually work for the belongings you own. When designing your kitchen, it’s a good idea to call in a professional home organizer before the design/execution process.

The laundry room

Putting laundry rooms on the top floor, where all the laundry is created, was one of the greatest things builders have done. I hope you aren’t one of the unfortunate ones who still must travel to the basement to do laundry.

A shelf or cupboard in the laundry room should also be a standard feature. Having an organized laundry room with a space for your cleaning aids, ironing board and other items helps you stay organized in this area from day one. Ensure any cupboard shelving is high enough to contain those large laundry products.

What you can do

Know the space that you’re moving into. Many clients that we’ve worked with haven’t allowed for smaller bedrooms, and when they put their huge king-size bed with their large headboard and the rest of the matching furniture in there it just doesn’t fit. This leads to an unorganized and cluttered room.

Work with your home organizer and home addition contractor to make the rooms that are important to you larger with better storage for all your clothing items. Add to a walk in closet by reducing the size of a guest room. Add a pantry to the kitchen by eliminating a closet. Think about the space you need and what’s important to you. It will be too late during the final inspection tour or when you have moved in.

ClutterBGone, home organizers have an eye for space and can help you get organized before or after your move. For your mess SOS contact us to learn more about how we can assist you with your new home organization.

Do You Really Think You Are A Hoarder?

in Downsizing, Estate Organizing, Home Organizing, Move Organizing, Uncategorized

Many of our clients refer to themselves as “hoarders”. A lot of people use the term to describe others who have more possessions than they think they should have. Individuals that have been medically diagnosed as a hoarder typically require specialty services relating to de-cluttering and much more than just downsizing and organizing services.

What is Hoarding?

Hoarding is the overwhelming difficulty of throwing away or getting rid of one’s possessions. It is often classified as a compulsive behavior. The possessions could range from plastic bags to old newspapers and magazines. Regardless of the items accumulated the value of them are irrelevant to the owner. Those with this compulsive behavior accumulate a large quantity of possessions, which is what makes this behavior stand out in comparison to other people. The compulsive behavior, which is associated with hoarding, can also be related to compulsive buying, compulsive collecting of free items, or a compulsive search for the perfect item. An individual diagnosed with hoarding is unable to let go of any item, regardless of the value.

Hoarding is not to be confused with collecting. The behavior of collectors is often prideful in regards to their possessions and are proud to display their items. Collectors are also more organized than hoarders.

What are the Symptoms of Hoarding?

Individuals with a hoarding disorder often demonstrate severe anxiety when attempting to get rid of an item, or have the inability to discard their possessions to make space for new ones. Those affected with this compulsive behavior often find it difficult to organize their belongings, as they often feel unsettled about where to keep them. In some cases, they even feel unsettled about their possessions, and often act suspicious of other people touching any of the items. This compulsive behavior causes obsessive thoughts of their items whereabouts, or possibly not having enough of one particular item.

Why Do People Hoard?

The compulsive thoughts associated with hoarding are often that the individual believes they need the item for future use, feel a strong sentimental value towards it, feel it is irreplaceable, or they got such a great deal that they don’t want to throw it away. In some cases hoarding may be a disorder on its own; however, it is a common symptom of other disorders such as obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and/or depression.

How Does Hoarding Affect One’s Quality of Life?

Hoarding diminishes one’s quality of life considerably. Due to a considerable number of possessions, the hoarder’s living space may become unhealthy or even dangerous. Many hoarders will live without basic comforts, and cope with things such as broken appliances or furnace in order to avoid somebody coming into their living space to fix the problem. In many cases, this behavior causes issues among the individual’s family, from feelings of anger and resentment to depression. Hoarding can affect the social development of children who live in the space, and can have an impact on the family structure from divorce to loss of child custody. Hoarding can cause the living space to be unlivable, which may lead to eviction. Serious financial problems can occur as well.

What are the Effects of Hoarding?

As a result, hoarding behavior can be damaging and affects both the individuals with the hoarding behavior and their family members. This behavior can affect those on many levels, including emotional, physical and social, as well as financial and/or legal. In some cases, due to the loss of living space because of the large quantity of items, the living conditions can cause health problems.

So you see, hoarding is much more than just being disorganized and having clutter in the home. Hoarders typically don’t see a problem with their behavior and rarely reach out for assistance on their own.

If you need help with your organizing and clutter challenges look no further than your professional organizing team at ClutterBGone. ClutterBGone is proud to serve Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area, including York and Durham regions. From home organizing and downsizing, to small office organizing, ClutterBGone is here to liberate you from your clutter!

National Moving Month – Prepare to Pack For Your Move

in Downsizing, Move Organizing, Uncategorized

May is national moving month. At ClutterBGone we’ve taken on a lot of projects involving pack and moves over the years. They start out as organizing and downsizing projects to get our clients ready to move. Then during the initial sessions our clients see the value and investment in hiring us to assist with not only the downsizing but with organizing the packing aspect, the move itself, the unpacking, settling in and then setting up and organizing at the new home to make it efficient and functional from day 1.

With moving season upon us, here is a list of things to prepare for and when.

Three months out

Have the mover or the rental truck booked. Most important is to get references or a referral to someone you can trust. You may have all read about contents being held for ransom for more money by some of the fly by night movers out there. Be careful and hire someone reputable.
If you can move more towards the middle of the month there is also a greater chance of getting the mover you want. When you are hiring a moving company get references and ensure everything is in writing.

Two months out

Begin the job of sorting and paring down. This is where we come in. You’re going to be busy enough closer to move day than to be worrying about this task and why pay to have things moved that you’re ultimately not going to need or use in your new home? We can help with those tough decisions and with getting rid of the clutter that doesn’t need to follow you to your new home.

One month out

Now is the time to ensure you have the correct supplies. Boxes, mats, ropes, ties and similar supplies are going to be needed for the move. We have contacts for all these supplies so you can feel confident that this is taken care of.

3 weeks out

Before your move make sure all your change of address notifications is completed and start packing everything you know you will not need until after your move. We specialize in getting you packed in an orderly and organized fashion so your unpacking goes much smoother. We label all boxes so the movers know exactly where they go in the new home.

Three weeks out is also a good time to start to use up the food you have in the fridge and freezer as well.

Moving day

Pack a suitcase with incidentals in case you need anything during the day. If at all possible have someone look after the kids for the day, as you don’t want the little ones under your feet during this hectic time.

If at all possible have your own lock put on the truck once everything has been loaded so only you can open it at the other end. Finally, don’t stress it. Be thankful you don’t move very often.

If you’re moving during this time, best of luck. If you’d love to be packed up, moved in and all settled in your new home in a matter of a few days, give us a call and learn how we can make that happen, stress free, so you can enjoy your new home from Day 1!

Get Organized Week

in Downsizing, Estate Organizing, Garage Organizing, Home Office, Home Organizing, Move Organizing, Uncategorized

Get organized week just past, being the first week of October. Now’s a great time to take part in Get Organized Week with Thanksgiving just over and the Christmas holidays approaching fast. What did you do to get organized?

Being organized isn’t just having a home that looks neat and tidy and where everything has a place. It is also about being able to easily retrieve items you need, not needlessly spending money on items you already have, not having any safety hazards in the home and not wasting precious time. Here’s a quick list of benefits that I promise you will see when you are organized.

Increase your productivity

How many hours do you spend looking for things? If you are part of the national average you are spending one year of your life looking for things. A recent IKEA survey showed that we spend 6 minutes on average looking for our keys in the morning! Newsweek says that we spend 55 minutes each day looking for things we own but can’t find. Get some of that time back and be more productive with your time by being organized.

Improve your health

We all know that stress is a killer and stress can be caused by something as easily as not being able to find something important when you need it.

When you’re organized you will have less stress resulting in more relaxation time or time to do just about anything you want to do. Sound good?

Save money

How often have you gone out and purchased something that you just knew you didn’t have, only to find out shortly after that you did indeed have that item? Now you own more than one and sometimes you will never get any use out of the second one you have.

Do you pay late fees because you can’t put your hands on your bill? You do know that late payments reflect poorly on your credit rating. Get organized and save money.

Be an example to your family

Often when I make an initial visit to a client I find out that they came from a family of disorganization.

Their parents were disorganized with clutter and they didn’t know any way else. Being organized is a skill that will benefit your children throughout their lives in school, at work, and in their own home.

This is just four of the many benefits to being organized. Get Organized Week may have just past but it is not too late to become organized. Give us a call and we can let you know of the many more benefits to being organized.

Secrets To An Organized Kitchen

in Downsizing, Home Organizing, Uncategorized

The kitchen is the hub of most homes where we gather to cook, eat or just talk. It is also the spot that causes many of you a lot of grief because of the organizational chaos happening there. Keep your kitchen an inviting space to be in by following these easy to follow tips.

Baskets and bins

Your storage systems can be both functional and decorative according to your kitchen décor. Spices, cleaning supplies, and other small items can be kept in baskets or bins for easy retrieval and storage. Some of your everyday spices like salt, pepper, curry powder and the like can be kept in a decorative bin or basket and taken right to the table.

Use clear storage containers

Keep your coffees, teas, sugar, flour and other such goods in clear storage containers and label them for easy access. You will find storage containers easier to use as well. How often do you get flour or sugar all over your counter when pouring them out of the bag you bought them in?

Store them close to where you use them

Keep your spices and cooking utensils close to the stove and your drinking glasses stored close to the refrigerator. Normally there is more than one person in the kitchen so avoid getting in each other’s way and have what you need close at hand. Items you use often should be stored at eye level for easy access.

Small appliances

Your kitchen counter can easily become a magnet for every conceivable small appliance you have purchased but unless you use them daily try to store them down below.

Appliances like rice cookers, slow cookers and blenders don’t normally get used every day so keep your counter clear and looking organized with just your daily use appliances.

Some items are better stacked vertically

Cutting boards, baking sheets, platters, and other similar items are better stored vertically to prevent damage and to make it easier to get them and put them away.

There are a number of inexpensive systems you can install to help you accomplish this.

Drawer dividers for cutlery

Drawer dividers are a must in any kitchen and I am surprised at how many people don’t install these, even for the larger utensils and knives. They keep everything neat and organized and easy to find.

Making more space

There are so many functional items to help you increase your space in the kitchen that can be so limited. Standing wire shelving can almost double a shelf space and if you have a deep corner unit a lazy Susan can add space and make it so much easier to retrieve items. There are also under shelf wire racks you can purchase to create space for mugs or small plates. I myself recently installed gliding shelves in my pantry to easily reach the items in the back of the pantry shelves.

At ClutterBGone, we love organizing kitchens and have the expertise and ideas to make your kitchen more organized and productive. Contact us here for more information.

The Top 9 Things To Do When De-cluttering & Organizing Your Home

in Downsizing, Estate Organizing, Garage Organizing, Home Organizing, Uncategorized

When we perform our initial consultation and assessments with our clients we often get asked, “what are the top things are that should be performed to organize and de-clutter a home?” As a result, I’ve put together a list of the top 9 for your reading pleasure:

Start with the closet
For me, the front hall closet is often the place to start. It’s the first area you see when you come home to put your coat and shoes away and the first place your guests will see when they arrive. Plus, entry closets are generally quite small and therefore will not take much time giving you a sense of accomplishment that will carry you forward to other parts of your home.
Flat surfaces
If there is a flat surface anywhere, there is an opportunity to accumulate clutter. It’s so easy to lay something down with all the good intentions in the world to put it away later.The trouble is, later never does come. Keep flat surfaces clear of clutter at all times.
Junk drawers
I’ve given up my fight against junk drawers realising that we all do need a place for miscellaneous items. Notice that I didn’t say “junk”? In my experience, we all spend more time looking for items in this drawer than in the time we use the item when we find it. Keep these drawers with only the necessary items and find a home for the rest.
The wire octopus
An area that often gets neglected are the wires that you always see peeking out from under desks and TV stands. With TV’s, cable boxes, sound systems, gaming consoles and computers all hooked up, there can be a lot of wires and cables to hide. There are a lot of choices to use to hide these cables and a lot of options to implement to keep these from tangling up.
Bedroom closets
Your bedroom closets provide a great opportunity to create more space. Add an additional rod to double your hanging capabilities and while you’re in there take the time to separate your clothes into piles of what you wear and what you don’t. There are a lot of consignment shops that will take your gently used clothing to sell and of course, there are a lot of charities that would love to repurpose what you don’t wear, provided they are in good shape.
Kitchen counters
How many of you keep a variety of small appliances on the kitchen counter? How many of you actually use these small appliances on a regular basis? Toasters, kettles and coffee machines are OK left out (as long as they are used) but keep the rest in a cupboard or drawer out of sight for a clean, organized look.
Use clear containers
Clear containers are typically the only ones you will see me use. You can easily see what’s inside of a clear container as opposed to opaque and for small children, this is especially important so they can see where everything is and where it goes when they are done.
Have a plan
Besides #1 above, this is probably the most important of all. You know the old saying – those that fail to plan, plan to fail. Make a list of the areas in your home that you want to tackle. Rank them according to importance and the time you have.Make sure you have the necessary time and the tools to get the job done and go at it. Know where the donation centres and consignment shops are in your area if you are going to need them and get any items you are selling or donating out of the house asap. A pile of items left hanging around your house to dispose of is not going to give you the sense of accomplishment that you need.
Call us. We’ll handle the other eight!
In all seriousness, clients normally call us after they’ve made one or several attempts at de-cluttering or organizing themselves. Life gets in the way whether it’s work or family and the time that is needed for these projects often is not found.When we’re working on your project you have our full attention and dedication to a job that is going to wow you at the end.

Give us a call for a free telephone consultation for any organizing or de-cluttering project that is needed in your home, no matter how big or small.

Exactly What Can A Professional Organizer Do?

in Downsizing, Estate Organizing, Home Office, Home Organizing, Move Organizing, Moving Seniors, Uncategorized

When you hire a professional organizer you aren’t just hiring someone to come in and tell you what to keep and what to get rid of. A Professional Organizer does so much more. Most of us are trained by and are part of, the Professional Organizers in Canada.

We work with many different types of clients and deal with all sorts of situations in a professional and caring manner.

Besides the organizing and downsizing assistance that we provide, here’s a list of other services and knowledge that we bring to every client.

Moving assistance

A Professional Organizer can help you with moving, whether it’s you that is moving across town or across the country or whether you’re arranging for a loved one to downsize or move to another residence. We have the experience and training to pack safely and help you downsize and stay organized at the same time.

Organizing your crafts and hobbies

Many of you have hobbies and collections that take up a lot of space.

A Professional Organizer can help you display your treasures better, pack it for you or set up a system to help you keep track of what you love, all your supplies, materials and artistic endeavors saving you time to spend on your craft.

Home offices

Most homes now have an office that is used by the entire family to pay bills, spend leisure time on the computer or even connect to work. As a Professional Organizer, we specialize in getting filing systems implemented that work for you and your family.

We also endeavor to create a system of paper organization such that should you become ill, someone else in your family or circle or friends can easily step right in and take over for you when you cannot.

We organize spaces to make you more productive and efficient and save you tons of time.

Small business offices

Document control, filing systems and productivity are a specialty of ours and we come into your office and first, see how you and all your staff work to come up with a system that works for all and gets the most productivity out of your office. We care for the environment and while we do that we initiate recycling and shredding policies and re-purpose items whenever possible.

As a Professional Organizer, we are sensitive to and protective of the environment and have a long list of partners and service providers that can assist if you wish to donate, sell or recycle a lot of what you have but no longer require. We can’t take it away ourselves but we do have reliable business contacts that can.

We are sensitive to your needs

We understand that for some clients it can be a bit embarrassing to ask for our help but that’s what we’re here for and that’s what we live for, to help you and transform your space and your life.

We’re non-judgmental and also have experience in working with people that have hoarding tendencies, ADHD or just don’t have enough time, desire or physical ability to do it themselves. Sometimes you just need to bring in a professional.

In times of bereavement

When a loved one passes it can be difficult to tackle the possessions that they have left behind. Emotions can often make it difficult to take this on yourself. A Professional Organizer can take the reins to coordinate the sale, consignment or donation of items in the home paying particular attention to the wishes of the family.

These are just some of the many specialized services that professional organizers can provide. If you feel overwhelmed by an organizing dilemma, you don’t have to tackle it alone. Contact ClutterBGone here for an assessment for any of your organizing, downsizing or de-cluttering needs.

ADHD & Clutter – A Recipe For Chaos?

in Downsizing, Garage Organizing, Home Office, Home Organizing, Move Organizing, Organizing with Kids, Uncategorized

ADHD, also known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, is a psychiatric disorder causing attention control, which can cause attention deficits. Many adults with ADHD have cluttered homes and work spaces.

Some of you are able to function quite well in these surroundings and surprisingly can find anything you need quite quickly in a state that we would consider to be extremely cluttered. For those that cannot, here’s how to prevent clutter from overwhelming you.

Plan it

Whether you use sticky notes or hang a calendar in your room or use a day timer type of book, these physical reminders can control everyday chores from getting out of control.

If Thursday is garbage day, write it in the calendar. If you have bills that need to be paid write them in your book as soon as they come into the house.

Break it down

If you have been diagnosed with ADHD you may get overwhelmed with the number of things that need to get done. For most of us we can juggle our daily list of things to do and make changes on the fly but other things can easily distract those of you challenged with ADHD and before you know it you have a clutter everywhere.

The key is to break things down into smaller manageable tasks and stay with it until it is complete. Larger tasks should be broken down into smaller portions that you know you can complete within the expected timeline. If something comes to mind while you are working on a different chore, write it down and come back to it later.

Shopping trips

Shopping can be very tricky unless you’re prepared. Compulsivity is a symptom of ADHD so items are easily forgotten and items that are not required are purchased. This results in unnecessary expenses for the items you didn’t need and a return trip to the store for the items you forgot.

Make a list and stick with it, no matter what. If cost is a factor use your calculator on your phone as you shop so you stick to your budget. I would suggest that you stay away from the bulk, membership type stores to reduce the temptation of purchasing more than you actually need.

The office desk

Whether at home or at work ADHD typically leads to a very cluttered desk. A lot of time is wasted in looking for things or moving things from one place to another. Find an organizing system that works for you. Initiate the practice of everything going into your “In” basket and once it’s taken from there you’re committed to finishing whatever it requires to complete it, right down to filing it away. Color coded files work for some and bins work for others. They key is to find the system that works for you.

Take a break and clear your mind

The most important thing is to recognize when you begin to feel overwhelmed. At this point it is OK to step away, process and relax. Don’t forget that your mind can also get cluttered so step away, take a few deep breaths and let it go.

If you live with someone who has ADHD or are challenged with it yourself, you may be living in a state of controlled clutter. The clutter can make your life feel like it is constantly out of control.

You may be able to function quite well with clutter all around you but many others cannot. Perhaps the significant others in your life are feeling overwhelmed with the clutter or you are feeling challenged with it yourself. If you are in the camp of those that can’t function well with the clutter and would like to get it under control, we would love to help. Give me a call or contact me here to learn more about how we can help.

Clutter Awareness Week

in Downsizing, Estate Organizing, Home Office, Home Organizing, Move Organizing, Moving Seniors, Uncategorized

In our industry, the last week of March is National Clutter Awareness Week. Although you should be aware of clutter and its impact on your life every day, an awareness week is a great time to stop and take a look around for those of you that tend to put things off.

We don’t always see clutter around us because like everything else we tend to get used to it. So, in honour of Clutter Awareness Week here is a list of what to look for if you think you have too much clutter.

What are you not using?

As a homeowner, you may have a lot of stuff that you’re not using and a lot of this holds some value to you. I don’t encourage you to get rid of things you cherish or that has value to a loved one, but I do encourage you to donate, sell or trash items that you know are not going to get used again.

How many DVD’s, CD’s or books are in your home that you won’t even look at again? What about the clothing that is worn or just doesn’t fit any longer? If you’re keeping something until you slim down why not buy something new as a way to celebrate that victory? Besides, styles change and it may no longer be something you want to wear when you do get to the size you want.

What is getting in your way?

Do you get so used to things being around that you forget that they no longer work or are worn out? You may walk past or around these items every day without a single thought. “I’ll get around to selling or fixing that some day” are very common excuses I hear almost every day. That “some day” is here, this week.

Take advantage of Clutter Awareness Week to have these items sold or repaired now and reduce the clutter in your home. If you know of a senior in this position you could be saving them from a nasty fall by helping them reduce the clutter in their homes.

Is clutter preventing you from enjoying the things you like to do?

Clutter has a huge impact on your everyday life. Perhaps you feel embarrassed to have friends or relatives over for fear of being judged. Perhaps you have become housebound with the cycle of clutter becoming worse. Clutter Awareness Week is a great time to take charge and enjoy the things that clutter has been preventing you from doing.

Set aside some time this week to tackle your clutter. If the thought of de-cluttering frightens you or makes you anxious, start off with something small like a closet or a drawer. You will be surprised at how victorious you will feel and will want to tackle bigger areas soon.

Don’t forget there are so many charities that could use your old items. Consider giving to your local favourite charity or to any of the refugee charities that will appreciate your generosity. Another option is to turn your old items into cash at a consignment store or perhaps you wish to sell them on-line.

Take some time this week to really take a look around. Take pictures if that will help and really look at what you see. Is your space functional, efficient and inviting? If yes, great! If not, set aside the time required to get things back in order or contact us here for a no obligation chat.

5 Simple Steps To Organize Your Garage For Spring

in Downsizing, Garage Organizing, Home Organizing, Move Organizing, Uncategorized

Ah, spring is almost here! Unless you are an avid winter sportsman, winter can feel almost as long as the other seasons combined. The most popular ritual of spring has to be cleaning off the barbeque and I think the second most popular has to be cleaning out the garage. It’s almost like therapy!

Here is my 5 step simple checklist to help you along in this task.

1) Take a general tour

Start with a general tour of the garage to get an idea of what needs to be done. You don’t want to get started and realize it is a very big job and get discouraged.

Not too bad? Great! Looks like a big job? Enlist the help of your spouse, kids, your neighbor or a professional.

2 ) Give yourself time
Set the time aside. If it looks like just a tidy and upkeep job then set aside an afternoon to get things done. Otherwise plan a whole day to get it done. If you finish earlier, so much the better.

3) Get ready, go!
Get started. Take stock of everything you have and start to sort into three piles – keep, toss and donate. The donate pile is your easiest as most charities will pick up donations or you can drive them to your favorite local charity site and drop them off.

The items designated for tossing must be sorted according to your local trash pick up regulations. Items such as paint, chemicals and fluorescent tubes must be taken to a special disposal site that you can easily find on line. Now we are left with the items you wish to keep. Sort these items into piles – garden equipment, automotive supplies, sporting goods, etc.

4) Determine storage
Determine the type of storage system you require. At the front of my garage I have a resin 5 level storage shelf where I keep my gardening supplies roller blades, automotive cleaning products, etc. I have each shelf labeled so anyone in the house knows where to put things once they have been used. I have even assigned a spot for my husband’s empty bottles…… who wants those old bottles hanging around the house?

All of your shovels, rakes, etc. can be hung on a wall with any one of many systems that are available, or just by using a 2 x 4 strapped securely in place with a few hooks. Just make sure you secure it to studs to prevent them from falling down later.

5) Clean sweep
Get rid of the winter dirt. Now that everything is up and out of the way you can give the floor a good sweeping and cleaning to get rid of the dirt and salt that has fallen from the car over the winter. Hint – unless you want dust kicking up in your face pick up some floor sweeping compound and put it down prior to sweeping. It will help to keep dust from getting in the air and into your home. Some of you may even want to put down an epoxy coat on the floor to protect the concrete and reduce the dust.

Do it again in the fall. Don’t forget to take anything that can freeze out of the garage and into the house in the fall. That is a good time for another cleaning before winter sets in. I know, I mentioned the dreaded W word before it is even over!

I know most men are itching to get back into the garage to clean it up and to get back into their “tinkering”. Follow the steps above to get your garage cleaned and organized for the spring and maybe reclaim some of that space in the basement. If hubby is too busy or is “organizationally challenged” contact us here for assistance.