Declutter the Garage: Garage Floor Edition

Even the most clean and stylish homeowners often view garages as storage spaces. Considering it is a part of the house most people visit every time they leave their home in their vehicle, it shouldn't be left as an eye sore. Even if you don't mind the clutter, a cluttered garage can result in a lot of time wasted sifting through everything to find a certain item.

If you really want to give your garage an effective makeover- the best way to go is from the bottom up. Most junk and clutter will be addressed when you start on the floor. If you are looking for a quick fix, this may may not be a great place to start. Without further ado here is how you can get started giving your garage a much needed face lift.

Paint the Garage Floor 

Oil spills, dirt, mouse droppings and lord knows what else, all cake on a garage floor over the years making the garage look like scenes from a horror movie rather than an integral part of your home. One way to really spruce up your garage, as well as ensure the long-term integrity of the garage floor, is to treat and paint the floor of your garage. Here is a website from DIY Network that takes you through the process of re-painting a garage floor.

To upgrade your floor even further when you do this, I recommend going for a more non-traditional color. We are all too familiar with the ugly grey of garages, and it has a negative connotation in our minds. Instead browse for colors like rose, sunset or any number of tan-hued garage floor paint colors to give your garage a more warm look. Here is one option for garage floor paint from Home Depot.

Clean the Garage Floor 

If re-painting the garage floor is just not in the household budget right now, considering using a pressure washer or hosing out your garage floor. This will get out oil, dust, nests and all the other gunk that accumulates on the garage floor. Even just a quick sweep will make all the difference in the appearance of your garage. You'll be surprised how much your garage will shine after preforming any of these relatively low budget steps.

Remove Junk off the Floor 

Like any room in a house, all items should have a place in your garage. Items that sit on the floor take up more space than they need to. It also makes things appear a lot more cluttered than they actually are in reality. Invest in shelves, organizers, hangers, bins, buckets or whatever else you need to get all the random items off of the floor. Make sure after you or a family member uses an item, that the item goes back where it belongs afterwards.

Avoid Using Cardboard Boxes as Storage in Garages 

Cardboard boxes are cheap, versatile and great for moving, but when it comes to permanent storage they are not ideal. Cardboard can absorb moisture, smells, dust and can attract mice, so it is best to avoid them as storage items in your home. Not to mention that ugly shade of brown reminds many of us of the horrible process of moving, so it makes look as if you are transit rather than trying to settle in your home.

Instead of cardboard boxes opt for plastic, metal or just about any other material, because these material will last longer than most cardboard boxes will in the elements. You can find great sales on storage shelves and plastic bins a couple weeks after holidays (mainly Christmas and Halloween) when stores are trying to sell off extra bins they have on stock. Also, IKEA often has bargains on these type of items, as well as plenty of attractive options.

Simple tips to Start a Make Over for Your Home Office

Is the state of your small home office starting to drive you crazy? Maybe you are even considering getting a dumpster or hiring out self storage? One of the best ways to avoid needing to throw things away or hiring out self storage is by utilizing all the space that our homes has to offer. A fun way to approach this method of interior decor is by giving your home office a face lift! 

The following are some ways for normal people to approach a new home office set up to make the office pretty and useful at the same time. Not all of us are natural born Martha Stewarts, but that doesn't mean that we can't get professional home decorating results for our home offices with just a little bit of effort. 

Choose a Theme Color 

Choose one color to add stylish and attractive accents to your new home office design. Make sure not to overdo it, because a little bit of color goes a long way. Keep this color in mind when you are selecting home office furniture, paintings or anything else. You can even add an orange cat to the family if that happens to be your theme color, but that may just be the crazy cat lady in me coming out.  

Set a Budget 

Know how much time and money you are willing to spend to re-decorate your home office. This will give you guidelines to go by as you proceed through the marvelous/painful process of re-decorating. 

Brainstorm

One of my favorite places to brainstorm for any home decoration is at IKEA. There displays give viewers great idea on how to best make use of a space. Write down or draw out what you are envisioning your office to look like when you finish. Don't be afraid to alter course along the way. 

Paint Things Yourself 

Painting a Home Office Can Be a Fun Headache! 

Office storage, office furniture and even the walls can all benefit from a splash of color. Keep in mind if you plan to paint, how much time you are willing to dedicate to renovating your home office. Painting office shelves is a lot easier than painting an entire room!

Self Storage for Your Home Office 

One of the best ways to re-organize and expand the space of a room is by adding storage shelves, storage racks or storage cabinets. You can hunt for cheap versions of these at Ikea or even yard sales. Consider getting office storage in fun shapes or various sizes to give the room a simple touch of creativity and style. If you are feeling industrious, you can add a splash of color by buying color storage shelves. Or even paint the storage shelves yourself!

New Home Office Furniture 

If you need it, getting new home office furniture can amp up the style of your room. For those on a budget, you can search craigslist, Ikea or yard sales to get great deals. Make sure that every piece of home office furniture has a purpose, because too much furniture can add unnecessary clutter to a room.

Give Away, Sell or Donate Extra Stuff in Your Home Office 

If you have any excess junk in your office, it is time to let that stuff go. Many of us are closet hoarders, so it is time to make like a Buddhist monk and minimize the worthless junk in our lives. If you are not going to use an item in the foreseeable future, it is probably time to toss it. 

Take Your Time Re-Decorating Your Home Office 

As we speak, I am in the process of re-organizing and re-decorating my own home office. It has been one month now, but I still can't say that it is completely finished due to lack of budget and time. Be kind to yourself by allowing yourself plenty of time to complete the project. Beating yourself up for not instantly changing your home office around in one day like some version of Mary Poppins is not helpful. Even with a spoon full of sugar cough syrup tastes bad anyways Mary Poppins, so what does she know anyways!