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Spark Joy: KonMari your garage

Barb and Wendy at Simply Spark Joy help you to create a clutter free home on Black Press Media
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How to KonMari your garage and (finally!) park your car again

One in four North Americans claim that their garage is too cluttered to park their car. Are you one of them? If you’re too embarrassed to open your garage door in front of your neighbours then read on. We can teach you how to use the KonMari Method to get your garage looking and feeling neat.

We know that you’re likely thinking that your garage is too daunting of a project and that there’s no way that you could sort through all of those rarely used, barely useful, and forgotten items. The best way to overcome this hesitation is to think about all of the ways that a decluttered garage could improve your life. Visualize your garage as a place where you could:

  • get into your car easily without tripping over things
  • store the things that you love and know where everything is
  • create a spot for a hobby that you’re pursuing

When you feel ready to clean up and clear out your garage for good, it’s time to set a timeline. If you think that you will need extra time to host a garage sale, sell items online, or bring donations to your local donation center, plan some time for it before you begin. This way you won’t be put off by the extra work at the end of your tidying journey. Try and keep your timeline as tight as possible; tidying quickly can help keep you motivated.

Once you begin decluttering, we recommend that you tidy by category and focus on what you want to keep, not what you want to get rid of. Empty the entire garage onto your driveway or lawn and begin to sort into the following categories:

  • Seasonal tools
  • Sports equipment
  • Household items
  • Broken items
  • Unfinished projects
  • Furniture
  • Clothing that is not being worn
  • Decorations
  • Stockpiles of basic household supplies

Within each category begin the KonMari process of asking yourself if the item really does spark joy and whether or not you need it. Remember that a spark joy item can be an item that helps you to perform a task very well or serves a purpose in your home even if it’s only used seasonally. For example, a ladder may not truly spark joy for you but when you need to change a light bulb, it will.

When you’re going through the decluttering process you should do your best to use storage containers that you already have. You will be able to best maintain your tidy garage if you make sure that every item has a home where it can be easily found, used, and put away. If you’re thinking of renting a storage unit or storing items with family members, consider setting aside time to sell or donate the items instead.

An organized garage reflects the owner’s pride in their home. If you are considering selling your house in the near future, tidying your garage will help give realtors and prospective buyers a positive first impression. We hope that we have helped inspire you to take on the challenge of tidying your garage and showing some love to one of the hardest working spaces in your house. You, your family, and your car will be grateful for it!

“The fact that you possess a surplus of things that you can’t bring yourself to discard doesn’t mean you are taking good care of them. In fact, it is quite the opposite.” Marie Kondo.

READ MORE: Spark Joy: A tidy kitchen

READ MORE: Spark Joy: The art of giving and receiving

READ MORE: Spark Joy: A goodnight’s sleep

Who are Wendy and Barb?

After assisting each other with complete home tidies, they jumped at the opportunity to attend the San Francisco KonMari training seminars in December 2016. They spent three days with amazing like minded participants sharing the same tidying passion and feel so fortunate to have been in the presence of Marie Kondo. This inspiration motivated them to complete the KonMari Certification Process over the next ten months.

They currently both live in the sunny Okanagan in beautiful British Columbia, Canada otherwise known as “wine country”. Their families support them in this tidying craze and are excited to see them be their true selves.

Barb Haymour: barb@simplysparkjoy.com

Wendy Chamberlain: wendy@simplysparkjoy.com

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