Garage clearance is first step towards self-discovery

Are you overwhelmed by clutter? Start your mission to become a paragon of organised efficiency by clearing out the garage with this guide by local skip hire company, Dolly Skip Hire.

Disorganisation is a great gift because it can set people on a path of deeper self-discovery. This pearl of wisdom from author Dr Marilyn Paul will leave everybody whose home is surrounded in clutter nodding in agreement.

In her best-selling book ‘It’s Hard To Make A Difference When You Can’t Find Your Keys’, Dr Paul probes the deeper questions of why some of us live in homes that are serene sanctuaries and others camp out in houses that suggest social services should rescue the inhabitants before they are crushed by an avalanche of catalogues.

Dr Paul, a management consultant, explains the seven steps she took to become truly organised. “As you begin to get organised, you will begin to have a sense of homecoming,” she says. “When you come home, whether to your house, your office or even your car, you will become energised and engaged rather than depressed.”

If the idea of gaining more space by decluttering appeals but the thought of wading through decades of possessions that have deep emotional attachment fills you with dread – or even fear – then a good place to start is your garage.

Although homebuyers now rank a fast broadband connection above off-street parking, according to property portal Rightmove, a garage in useable condition can add up to 15% onto a home’s value, particularly if that property is in an urban area where parking is at a premium.

But according to RAC Foundation figures, of 53% of households with access to a garage, just 24% use the facility to store a vehicle in. This puts their cars, and homes, at increased risk of criminal activity. West Yorkshire Police warn: “If you have a garage, use it to store your car – burglars will look at your car to judge whether to break in the house for the keys or whether your house might contain items they would want to steal.”

Even if property owners with a garage do not own a vehicle, they could make some valuable additional income by renting out the space. Just Park – Europe’s leading provider of pre-bookable parking – advises: “Take an afternoon and clean the garage inside and out. If possible, throw out all the unnecessary rubbish and junk. You want to have a clean, organised garage to make a good impression on a potential renter. It may make the difference of 10-20% of the agreed price.”

You’re not alone if your reaction to this advice is ‘it will take more than an afternoon to clear the junk from my garage, I’ll have to hire a skip’. Many garages used for storage contain a myriad of redundant electrical goods, home furnishings, broken tools and garden implements, old clothes not to mention cardboard box upon box of family mementoes and even the odd rabbit hutch or terrapin tank. These items, or more specifically the items they are made from are perfect for recycling at a Recycling Centre. Whether it’s scrap metal recycling to regular cardboard or fabric.

By putting this junk in a skip, you are not only turning a storage area into a money-making asset but also setting out on a patch of deeper self-discovery.