Double bay of the garage

I think the last time we did a garage clean out was 2023. The last time we did a BIG garage clean out was several years before that. 

Saturday and Sunday, we cleaned out the double bay of the garage. This was sorting and scrubbing. 

Everything came off the shoe rack, it was pulled away from the wall. The rack was scrubbed, the floor and wall were scrubbed. We took everything out of the cupboards, scrubbed, sorted what went back in them. We worked our way around the parameter, sorting and scrubbing. We did a lot of rearranging. 

Both vehicles always fit in the garage, so the middle was empty, it is just the parameter that collects.

We had a big recycling bin, two large garbage cans, two big boxes for donations, a table set up for sorting. 

The dogs were with us Sunday, we kept the big garage door closed, propped the door to the house open, so they had options. 

The back of my SUV is now filled to the brim with donations headed to the local charity shop when it opens at 10am. 

And next weekend, the single bay of the garage calls. 

I have started pulling all the dry goods and letting them “set”. They still get handled carefully/washed/repackaged. But another day.

That (below) is a large table in our garage. You can see all my “for sale” stuff (on other tables) behind the Grocery table.

After I pulled the dry goods, I still had this much (below)  left that had to be handled immediately. The paper sacks hold freezer goods. The rest is refrigerator and produce. All of that gets washed in a tub of soapy Dawn water in the sink.

I do curbside Groceries once a week. And it is tiring.

Can be used as a seat in either position and also as a kneeler

This would make a great gift.

We now have two because my husband and middle both use it too. Woodworking, projects on the ground, gardening.

Makes a huge difference in our backs.

I use Lowe’s curbside service a lot.

Simplified laundry tub

If I had to do it over, I would probably have put a laundry tub in garage with faucet that could have hose attached to it.

We even went and looked at laundry tubs that are just the tub, with no attached faucet, to set under the spigots in the garage. Two problems: They do not sit close enough to wall. They were too deep. A hose from under the sink to a drain was doable but awkward.

I fill a deep dish pan with water several times a day to wash dog feet. It is heavy. It is awkward. My hands are not good. I tried a hose but that created its own problems.

While we were looking, it occurred to us that a board might work better, than a sink with sides, in lifting the full dishpan.

So that is what we did. We had the plank. We had the can (which has hoses stored it it and is very heavy/secure).

So it was a free and simple solution.

Creative reuse

I have had two special pieces of wood for several years.

The boards were part of the gym floor from the kids’ high school. I was able to get them when the gym was gutted and redone.

At one point I regretted having got them, just was not sure what I would (ever) do with them.



I have been aggressively re-evaluating many things in the garage this fall.

My goal is to have the double bay side of the garage FLOOR as empty as possible.

This is for several reasons -
Decluttering/reducing
Slush/ice/water coming off cars
Clean looking

So in keeping with my “use it or lose it” philosophy, I thought of something beneficial to do with the larger (7’ x 16”) of the two boards.

It is now the top of shoe cubbies.



I used three quarts of brown paint(s). They were nearly full, left from other projects. That was extremely pleasing. My paint cupboard was over flowing.

I used the two darker colors as the base coat. I am in the process of painting the final coat (in the lightest brown). I will have used every drop of all three quarts by the time I am finished.

I buy my lumber at Lowe’s. They cut all my boards for me. I bought the wooden feet and the hardware at Lowe’s also. I have used these before, they carry several kinds, super easy to install.

This made a big difference

I got a two piece tool cabinet for the garage. (I first *tried to find a used one, no luck.)

Both pieces are from Lowe’s. The bottom one was on clearance, it was delivered for free because we were ordering an expensive security door at the same time.

I like that they are both black. Often they are red, not a fan.

I got the bottom piece first, sorted what I wanted to store in those drawers, realized I needed the top piece. I did have to attach wheels on the bottom.

The top one fit in the trunk easily.

I got the rolls of drawer liners especially made for tool cabinets. It is like a yoga mat and keeps things in place and quiet. They are in all the drawers of the top piece and a couple drawers of the bottom.



Previously all our tools and parts were stored in clear shoe boxes under the workbench.

It has been an evolution.

First shoe boxes in cupboard, then addition of workbench with boxes under the bench, now addition of tool cabinet. Each step seemed huge at the time. Each step was better.

We do a lot of DIY, have been doing projects steadily the last couple years.

So now was a good time to sort. What we use vs what has just been accumulated. What was cabinet worthy. What could go.

Several things are now listed on Facebook marketplace.

I have a small pile to donate.

The clear shoe boxes are getting washed and then moving to my sewing closet under the stairs.

Very pleased.

This would make a great wedding or new house gift. Could be a group contributing.

We have needed this for many, many years. I just did not realize regular people (who do not own a workshop/business) could have these at home.




*I watched Facebook Marketplace for used tool cabinets all summer and fall. Most listed are dirty and well used and expensive. Often they are full of junk.

I bought one that was clean and empty, from Facebook Marketplace. I got it home and realized it was too small and very cheap feeling. I relisted it the next day and it sold immediately.

So we went with new, on clearance.