The Garage: A Mover’s Best Friend
Along with the death of a loved one or going through a divorce, moving ranks high among a person’s most stressful experiences, according to HealthStatus.com. Most everybody has a hard time living in flux, and moving from one place to the next is one of those life events that can completely disrupt your routine. You have boxes everywhere, long to-do lists, and the need to pack and then unpack everything you and your family members own. It can feel like chaos. While getting re-established in another home does take time, the good news is that there are steps you can take to minimize stress levels in the process. One key step, for example, is taking advantage of your garage space.
How does a garage factor into a well-organized, more enjoyable relocation process? To answer that question as a mover, consider the following tips for making your garage your new best friend:
Make Decluttering the Garage a First Step in Moving
Before you begin packing items from your living areas, take some time to re-evaluate everything you’ve been storing in your garage. If you’re like most homeowners, you might not remember what you’ve been keeping in there — so before you pay to move it, where it may also sit unused — declutter. Make “keep,” “sell” and “throw away” piles as you go through everything in the garage one by one. When you’re done, you’ll have a lighter load to pack and more space to use as you transition.
Organize the Garage into Stations
When you’re in the process of relocating, the garage suddenly becomes much more than a place to park your vehicles. That big, empty room is a prime place for getting organized. To make the most of this space, “here’s a secret that organization pros understand,” says The Shelving Guy Blog. “If you break the garage down into smaller areas, tackling it becomes much more manageable … rather than trying to organize the entire garage one object at a time, break the space up into specific areas.” During your time of transition, here are some prime stations to include in your organized garage: an entry/exit area where you keep shoes, keys, coats and other items you grab on the go; storage shelving, where you can keep labeled bins and boxes you are ready to move; outdoor items such as bikes, camping gear, etc.; bulky tools such as brooms, rakes and your lawn mower; and seasonal items, packaged and labeled so you know what you have.
Think Storage Space
The other great thing about a big, empty garage — it is essentially free storage space. When self-storage units can cost between $40 to $230 monthly depending on their size, according to Cost Helper Home & Garden, your garage is super convenient and more than cost-efficient. Rather than renting a storage unit to house furniture, boxes and other items as you pack to move, consider parking your cars in the driveway or street — and turn the garage into your personal storage unit. When it comes time to move, all you have to do is open the door and tell the movers where to go.
Are you planning to relocate soon? Do you have a garage that could help you in the process? Use the tips above to make the most of your home’s built-in storage unit and turn your moving experience into one that’s a little less crazy.
