Clutter incompatibility
- Michelle Wood: SWCD
- June 1, 2011
- 409
Personally, I used to shudder when anyone entered my house through the garage, because who knew what they would find on their way to our door, if they could even make it to the door. After they maneuvered past the overflowing trash can because we missed trash pickup again, there was all the broken furniture we could not seem to part with because it belonged to some relative, who is now enjoying their Heavenly mansion and surely doesn’t care what we do with all their broken down junk. But we kept it all anyway.
The next obstacle course was the dozens of shoes flung in every direction but strategically landing right in the way. Why the UPS guy insisted on hurdling this mess to tap on my garage door instead of the front door remains a mystery that continues to embarrass me. Well, no more after we took on the garage a few weeks ago.
If you’ve ever wondered how to tackle the garage, here are a few things our family did that made a difference. First, I threw away a lot of shoes. If they no longer fit, why keep them? Time to pitch. Another reason to get rid of shoes is when you have multiples of the same type of shoe. Who needs three pairs of lawn mowing shoes? The other handy tip is to sort shoes by family member. You can use stackable file crates to store shoes flush against a wall.
But what is to be done with those harder to part with items, like the curio cabinet of your mother’s with the rounded glass door broken out? First of all, ask yourself if you have the time and money to repair and restore the item, so you can bring it back in the house to use again. If the answer is yes, then fine, do it immediately. Don’t create another pile of work for yourself. If the answer is no, then realize that getting rid of sentimental objects does not dishonor or diminish your memories of your loved one. You are simply choosing to live in the moment, not hanging onto the past with all its broken pieces. Make room to love the life you’re living right now.
One last trick for uncluttering a garage is get everything up off the ground, so you can either sweep or hose away the dirt. Overhead storage, shelving, and tool racks are all helpful. But before you attach anything to the walls, consider a fresh coat of washable paint. When you have cleared the clutter, painting is easy and has high visual impact, so the few hours it takes is very worthwhile.