If you have decided to clean your garage, it is natural to feel flooded with uncertainty. Garage cleaning is a daunting task, after all! However, it is achievable- all you have to do is prioritise, declutter, and dispose of all that you do not need. The latter includes old vehicles as well.
Read on to find out more about garage cleaning and various ways to get rid of your old vehicles.
Review Your Belongings And Prioritise
The first step towards a clear and organised garage is reviewing your possessions. The best way to do this is to start from one side, bringing things outside onto the driveway. In this way, you will have more space to work in- with a clear view of the limits of your garage space.
Once you have brought out everything with the capacity for displacement, prepare certain rules that will help you decide what to retain and what to dispose of.
Evaluate the reason why an object is in the garage, debating whether it necessarily needs to be there or not. A ‘priority list’ ranking the importance of every item can help you decide what to keep.
Here are some objects that you should remove while garage cleaning:
- Things you have not used even once in the past year
- Objects or equipment you intend to fix but have not
- Broken items
- Duplicate or similar possessions- like multiple footballs or more than one lawnmower
Declutter and Dispose
A simple reorganisation of your garage space will not be helpful in the long run. You must clean it out thoroughly and declutter.
Here are some suggestions to handle the items you wish to dispose of. You can make separate boxes for each category, use garbage bags, pick-up trucks, or any other suitable solution.
Donations
Not everything that you consider clutter is junk! You can donate certain working things like the equipment you do not use, duplicate items, extra car parts, and similar possessions. Make sure these are in a decent condition.
There are many not-for-profit organisations that you could help via donations of garage items. For instance, Bikes 4 Life gives donated bicycles to needy people in developing areas. Another example is of Paintback which accepts unwanted or surplus paint.
Sales
If you would prefer receiving some value for your clutter, you can put it up for sale. You can organise a garage or yard sale at your home or sell it online. Sites like MyDeal, eBay, and Trade Me are some examples of popular online marketplaces for second-hand sales or resales. These are especially useful during garage cleaning.
Disposals
If there are items in your garage that are neither worthy of donating nor selling, you need to discard them. Disposal relies upon the nature of the items you wish to throw away. For many items, there is a certain procedure of disposal that you must follow for safety or sanitary purposes. Make sure to do your research!
Here’s our tip on proper waste old tyres – this can help you with your garage cleaning as well.
Recycling
The best way to manage waste or unwanted clutter is to recycle it. Look for community recycling initiatives around you for assistance. Clean Up Australia is an organisation that revolves around environmental concerns while tackling the issue of recycling. You can seek guidance from it as well when garage cleaning.
Deep Garage Cleaning
With all your items on the driveway, your garage should be empty. You can begin deep cleaning the space before you organise the belongings you have deemed useful.
The best way to begin is to dust off all surfaces- including shelves, cabinets, or additional ones like refrigerators. Use a cleaning spray or mild detergent wherever you need, wiping down the walls, doors, and windows if any.
Excessive dust is bound to settle onto the floor, so a good sweep should get it all in one place. The last step of garage cleaning involves a thorough mopping of the floor- perhaps a wash with a hose too. After this, you must allow your garage to dry out before replacing your items.
Here are some tips to help you deep-clean your garage:
- For motor oil stains, use cat litter and dish soap with a wire-scrub brush
- Sponge mops are useful for cleaning garage walls
- If your garage has any mould, use either bleach or vinegar in warm water to eliminate it
- Flathead mops with microfibre cloths are useful for drying surfaces like walls
- You can use a floor fan to quicken the pace of drying
Organisation: A Major Part Of Garage Cleaning
If you have successfully overcome the hurdles so far, you will now have a manageable collection of belongings to place in your garage. Good organisation is the only way to prevent your garage from becoming cluttered again.
The best way to organise garage items is to prepare a list of everything you intend to keep there and divide it into categories.
You can install shelving units to keep items that you use most frequently. Closets, cupboards, and cabinets are suitable for things that you do not use too often. Pegboards are suitable for hand tools like hammers, while wall hooks can house larger tools like shovels. You can also use a robust bin to store these tools.
Remember to put everything back in its place after using it. Try not to bring in extra items without considering whether it needs to be in the garage or not!
How To Get Rid Of Your Old Vehicles
Old vehicles are a significant part of a cluttered garage. If you own a vehicle that you no longer require, you must be thinking about ways to get rid of it. It is vital to your process of garage cleaning. Fortunately, there are several methods to dispose of an old vehicle.
Selling It To A Dealership
The most hassle-free way to dispose of a car is to let a dealership buy it from you. However, bear in mind that most dealers may not pay you the true market value for your vehicle. You can check out dealers near you and find out if they sell the same make and model as your vehicle.
You can also consider selling it to a dealership of another brand if you do not feel satisfied with their offer.
Selling Your Old Vehicle On Your Own
You can sell your old vehicle yourself- online or through traditional methods like newspaper advertisements. Presently, online sellers have a better success rate than people who sell using newspaper ads.
You can use websites like Carsales and Carsguide for this purpose. Facebook Marketplace is also a good option since it allows you to post advertisements and sell at no cost.
Trading Your Vehicle In
If you are considering buying a new or second-hand car to replace your old vehicle, trading it in is a better idea than selling it. In this way, you can bring down the total expenditure that you would otherwise have had. It will also spare you the hassle of selling your car on your own.
Trade-in offers typically rely upon the condition and value of your old vehicle. It also depends upon the dealer and their availability of vehicles. Make sure you do not settle for anything less than what you expect!
Donating Your Car
Donations are not limited to the garage or household items! There is a multitude of nonprofit organisations that are open to people donating old vehicles. Websites like Carsales allow you to donate your car to charity- or put them up for auction for a charitable cause too! You can also visit Kids Under Cover to donate your vehicle.
If the present market value of your old vehicle is more than $5000, you will be eligible for a valuation by the Australian Taxation Office or ATO. You will receive a tax-deductible receipt based on the valuation amount decided by the ATO.
Scrapping It
If you think your vehicle is not fit to be a donation or to be sold, the only solution is to junk it.
Generally, cars and other vehicles that require excessive repairs and do not have too much life left are suitable only for scrapping. You can contact a junk removal service near you, or get a skip bin hire service.
Rapid Car Removal is a car removal service that you can use to get rid of your old vehicle. You will receive the maximum amount of money that the condition of your car warrants. It operates in Melbourne, but you can contact it for guidance nonetheless.
Endnotes
The process of garage cleaning does not need to be overwhelming or frustrating. Drawing assistance from the tips and suggestions in this article, you should be able to get started with the task and create momentum. With proper dedication and ruthless segregation, your garage will be spick and span in no time!
When it comes to getting rid of old cars, you have many options at your disposal. Make sure you take your time and set a comfortable pace- while weighing the pros and cons of every decision. Happy garage cleaning!
Summary
Garage cleaning can be a truly daunting task. While it does pose certain challenges, it is not an impossible mission. You need to have a clear mind, a reliable source of guidance, and determination! As you read, you will find all the guidance that you need- conveniently summed up in quick words.
The first step of garage cleaning involves a clear differentiation between useful and unnecessary or surplus items. It would be helpful to make a list ranking all objects in your garage. It will help you decide what to retain and what to discard.
Once you have segregated your possessions and decided what objects hold an obsolete status, move on with their disposal. There are different ways you can get rid of clutter- donating, recycling, and selling are three ways to do so.
When you are ready with a limited amount of possessions to put back in your garage, clean it thoroughly. Dusting, sweeping, mopping, and wiping are a core component of garage cleaning!
When it comes to getting rid of your old vehicles, you have several options. You can choose to sell it to a dealership or on your own. Alternatively, you can donate it to a good cause or even trade it in for another vehicle. Last of all, if the vehicle is obsolete, you should scrap it.
Garage cleaning can be an enjoyable job if you do it with proper dedication and patience!
