Remember when we cleaned out the top of the garage before our garage sale? And then we discovered the rats in the rest of the garage? Well, those were just warm ups to this week’s home organization project: the garage. Blah!

We’ve been waiting for warm weather so that we can drag out every single item and decide whether to keep it or give it away.

Let’s just say this: Brad and I both need to be better about dragging home every item that has a sign on it that reads, “FREE!” We’re constantly reminding ourselves that there is a cost to even free stuff. Once it comes into our home or garage, it has to go somewhere. Then, it needs fixing. Or admiring. Or moving. Or wishing we had left it behind.

Very cool old park signs that the city was getting rid of hang on the wall. Windows were a dumpster-dive!

The garage, which is really a carriage house, is not big enough for even a small car. It’s home to bikes and garden supplies.

When we cleaned out some items for our garage sale, I thought we were really making progress. I was kidding myself!

We have lots of wood scraps – remember they’re like my fabric scraps – because we might need a piece of wood for a project. Might.

We’ve also had a rat problem - read more about the rat troubles we’ve had – in our garage. That was due to my sewing very cute corn-hole bags that I filled with corn. After summer ended, out to the garage they went. We fed all of the rats around the neighborhood. Sad, but true.

The plan is to turn our garage into a home gym. With one bike on a stationary wheel, a cross country ski machine, and punching bag in the basement, we’re on our way. We’ll be checking out ‘Craig’s List’ for some weights, too.

So there’s your tour of our ‘before’ on the garage. Next week, you’ll read all about the ‘after’ and hopefully we won’t discover anymore rats.

What area are you cleaning out and organizing this week? Have you done your garage?

52 weeks of home organization

As part of our New Year’s resolution, we’re cleaning out a different area of our house every week this year. Find all of the “weekly home organization projects” – or click the image below.

Here’s a book I just picked up from the library…

Can’t wait to read it since this year has been all about reducing the number of ‘things’ we own. This links to Amazon. When you click + shop, you support this site. Thanks!