Does cleaning out the garage ever make the list when you’re planning a week off?

Last November I had just left my HR job to start Spirit & Space, and I was relishing being off for two weeks before digging into work. But “off” for me (as my husband can attest) means I get to do all the projects I’ve been saving; I tend to be a little bit manic productive in my time off. But I’m an organizing geek, right? On my second day off I had a great day cleaning out the garage!

It was a beautiful autumn day, and I enjoyed catching up on my favorite podcasts while I worked. I went through everything, got rid of what we don’t use or need, cleaned, and reorganized. On the “free” section of Craigslist I posted a bunch of milk crates, which we’d used since our first apartment; someone picked them up in 45 minutes. I corralled all the dog stuff we’re not currently using into one of the storage cabinets. I recycled what I could, repurposed a few items, threw out some stuff (like the broken hummingbird feeder). At the end of the day, I had a great sense of accomplishment and admired the newly clean, organized space. It wasn’t picture perfect; we didn’t need to install a fancy system (although don’t get me wrong, I drool over those pictures). It’s a real garage and I didn’t spend a penny to get it organized and looking better.

What’s your garage looking like these days? Spring is a great time for cleaning! Let me know if you want some help to whip your garage into shape. (Check out the before and after pictures at www.spiritandspacellc.com/before-after for evidence of a garage transformation.)