18 Things You Have In Your Garage That Shouldn’t Be As Collated By Garage Door Rescue
This article discusses the things you will find in your garage that you didn’t know were there, or, when you actually need them anytime you can’t find them anyway. If you are thinking about getting a new garage door installed or your current one needs to be fixed then this is as good a time as any to have a clear out and get your garage space back.
We all use our garages to put stuff in, the only thing you are likely not to keep in your garage these days is your car. Items that you think to yourself you MUST keep, but you know you will never actually use again. So this article discusses the items that most people would find in their garages if they had a really good sort out and tells you what you should do with them now, or when it’s another time when you think, ‘Mmm I’ll just put that in the garage as you never know when I might need it’!
Below is a list of 18 things that most people have in their garage and what you should do with them.
- Every single Allen key from every single piece of Ikea furniture you’ve ever purchased – If you sorted through your garage how many Allen keys would you actually have? I would answer a lot and if I needed an Allen key you could guarantee I would never find the one I needed or was looking for. So, get an old Christmas chocolate box or an empty cracker tin (the ones you have never thrown away as you always think, I might need that for bits and bobs at some point), and sort through your keys throwing away any duplicates, keeping just a few. The likelihood is if you need one you can go and buy one from your local DIY store anyway.
- Tubes of superglue where the glue has stuck the lid shut – Throw them away, they are so cheap to buy and once opened for that one job that needs sticking you probably won’t need glue again for a while.
- Random pieces of wood in various sizes – It’s good to keep a few pieces of random shapes and sizes of wood for that one job that you may need it for in 20 years, however, be brutal and take them to the tip if you are feeling brave.
- Mini screwdrivers from Christmas crackers – Ask yourself have I ever used these in the 20 years I have lived here? If the answer is yes then add them to your bits and bobs tin, if no and you have 5 sets of all different shapes and sizes screwdrivers as most people have, then throw them.
- A ball of elastic bands – You never know when you might need an elastic band, however, if they are in a ball shape then you definitely have enough to last you a lifetime and you don’t need anymore. Add your ball to your bits and bobs tin.
- A tin of paint the colour the kitchen was 15 years ago with only a tiny amount left in the bottom – Likelihood is the paint will be crunchy if you ever needed to touch up again, or you have decorated 4 times since you last used the paint anyway. If you still have the same colour then take a picture of the make and colour, although it’s likely the colour has changed or it has been discontinued. This is definitely a throwaway item.
- More extension leads than anyone would ever need – Sort through them and keep two of them, the ones that haven’t gone yellow or have so much dust and grime you would never use again anyway. Take the others to the tip to be recycled.
- Phone books from 1999 – Put them into the recycling, the internet is the way you search for anything you need now anyway unless you were thinking of opening a Phone Book Museum.
- The huge cardboard box that the TV came in – Fold it down and put it in the recycling and them relish the space that it has left.
- Butter tubs with screws in – Sort through and get rid of any screws that you won’t use and then keep the tin in a place where you can find it for the next urgent DIY job that you have.
- Old pairs of Wellington boots in various sizes – Unless you are planning on having more children then sell them or take them to the recycling centre.
- Weights from when your dad considered turning the garage into a gym – How long have the weights been there and never been used? Sell them or take them to the recycling centre as I’m sure your dad won’t turn into Geoff Capes anytime soon.
- The weird âotherâ freezer that nobody knows the contents of – Sort through the contents (items going back years that are right at the bottom) and decide if your small everyday fridge freezer is the way to go. I don’t know about you but I never remember what I have in the freezer and never get it out to defrost in time to cook anyway. Sell it or take it to the recycling centre.
- Thousands of cable ties – So when was the last time you used a cable tie? Sort through and keep a couple of each size and add them to your bits and bobs tin.
- A dust sheet specked with every colour that has ever existed in your house – You will always need a dust sheet for the times when you are decorating the lounge or kitchen again for the 2nd time in 12 months. Put it in the washing machine and fold neatly when dry so it’s easy to store away with your decorating gear.
- The stick used for stirring all paint since 1986 – As above keep it as you will always need it when you next decorate, or throw it away and use one of the pieces of wood you might be thinking of getting rid of.
- A really old Quality Street tin filled with miscellaneous bolts – Sort through and be ruthless, remember you now have your new bits and bobs tin that you don’t want to fill straight away!
- And a can of WD-40 thatâs older than you – Spray it to test if it works and if it still sprays then keep it, as you never know when you might get a squeaky hinge or door lock that you need it for.
So the answer to having a clear, tidy garage where you can find the things that you need when you need them, is to have a really good sort and clear out. Go on, you will feel good when it’s done.
If one of the items you find in your garage is a garage door that doesn’t open perfectly without the need of giving it a good push, pull or kick – call Garage Door Rescue on 01793 393503 and we can get the door back into perfect working order for you.