Is your garage the place where you drop off items that you don’t want to deal with at the moment? Are your shelves loaded with things that you have left over from past projects that  you might need someday? If you’re starting to prepare for a move, you’ll want to leave extra time in your schedule to tackle your garage, especially if you’ll be working in hot and humid conditions. 

Before you begin, make a list of the items you will want to keep for your new home and items that you will only keep until the old house has been sold or a final cleaning has been completed. For example, if you are moving to a retirement community where most yard and home upkeep will be covered by the maintenance teams, you may want to keep a small tool box, winter shovel and broom, some hand tools for flower or vegetable gardening and items for feeding the birds, watering house plants, etc,. While shoveling may be covered by the community, it may be handy to keep one if you want to clear your porch, balcony, or patio sooner than their crew is able to arrive, or if you have a pet who needs to have a path cleared to the lawn. If you need to maintain your own property until closing on your house, you may want to keep your trimmers, rake, riding or push mowers, hoses, etc. Beyond The Fork In The Road can assist you with asset dispositions before or after your move. Make a list of items you’d like to offer to the new owners. It may save you from trying to sell or donate your items quickly after moving. Your realtor will be able to communicate to the new buyers if you’re offering snow blowers, ladders, mowers, trimmers, lawn furniture, etc., for purchase. 

When it comes time to organize the garage, you’ll want to tackle it like other rooms, starting in one corner and working your way around the room. If you can’t park your car in your garage, then you may want to start working in the middle of the room or near the larger garage door, so you can easily move items into the driveway for sorting. Check with family and friends to see if there are any items they may want or need before you begin. They may appreciate the resources you have that could help them finish their home projects. Set up trash cans, bins, or boxes for trash, recycling, donation, and the few items you want to keep. You may need to set aside a special bin for metal recycling and another for electronics. Throw away broken or damaged items that can no longer be repaired. 

If you’re planning to donate items to Habitat for Humanity Re-Store, you may want to sort items into categories like plumbing, electrical, paint supplies, hardware, tools, etc. Check their website for their donation guidelines and what they will and will not accept. Some building supplies have minimum quantities or size requirements. Their website states that “All donations should be in clean, working condition, with no rust, broken parts or mold.” 

If you can, set aside a bin, rather than a box, for your hazardous chemicals. Then you won’t need to worry about liquids leaking through to your upholstery when transporting them in your car to the waste management facility. Companies can dispose of these items for you, but you may find there is an additional fee for a business to drop them off instead of a homeowner.  If you have new or almost new bottles of cleaners, yard chemicals, automotive fluids, etc, Beyond The Fork In The Road may be able to consign them for you.

As we continue to look at sorting your garage in preparation for a move to a smaller home, you’ll want to think about your new destination’s storage options. Will you have a utility closet within your home, a smaller garage, or a storage cage or closet outside of your apartment? Aside from your garage, your new limited storage space may need to also house items from your current attic, basement or shed. You may find that you’ll need to also store items from a porch, patio or balcony in the off-season. Creating a list of what you may need to store may reveal areas that need further culling. 

 If you will be keeping a small toolbox for your new home, empty out your entire toolbox, wipe down the interior, as well as your hand tools, and only put back the items you will need. You don’t want to carry around extra unnecessary weight or pull out dirty or greasy tools in your fresh, new home. 

Check all extension cords, power strips, tools, and appliances for cracks or exposed wires. Keep only the ones that are in good condition and properly insulated, and won’t be the cause of electrical shock or fires. If you don’t find the UL (Underwriters Laboratories) certification mark you may want to dispose of the product. Don’t forget to check your christmas lights, powerstrips and extension cords for damages.

As you clean off any shelving, take note of which shelves are cleanest and sturdiest and could best store items in a future storage cage or closet in your new home. Keep in mind what size boxes or bins you will use for storage, as smaller metal shelves may not offer enough height between shelves or depth for larger storage bins. 

If you are considering the rental of an additional storage unit, consider the cost of the unit and the value of the items you will store. Will you need a climate controlled storage space? Is it worth the money to store the items you want to keep or would it be better to part with those items? 

Remember to ask yourself these questions about each item that causes you to pause in your decision making: Do I need it? Do I love it? Will I use it? Will I have space for it? As always if you need help, Beyond The Fork In The Road can assist you through the process with a one-one-one sorting session, or we can bring in a team to help you sort through what to sell, donate, recycle or trash once you know what you will be keeping and your family has received what they want to keep. Contact us at 717-335-8080 for a free consultation and to learn more about our disposition services.