By Christina Morton DesAuguste
Christina is the founder of The Organizing Company and has been organizing professionally since 2013. She is currently loving Windy City Rehab (design and drama!) and white elephant parties.
No A.I. writing here! All our blogs are still written by humans.
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My Boulder/Denver winter has been really mild so far. But…
As much as any non-skiers like me may hate to admit it, winter cometh (and for some of you, is already in full force). The task of scraping snow and ice off your windshield looms ahead like a dark cloud, even despite the magic of beautiful flurries and snow angels.
That is, unless you have a garage. Lucky you!
Wait, what’s that? You can’t fit your car in your garage? You and 25% of Americans (and apparently, 75% of Los Angeles residents).
I’d like to help lower those statistics a little bit and also help you make some quick changes for the winter months not only in the garage, but also in your mudroom/entry since those go hand-in-hand.
If your garage seriously needs an overhaul to fit a car in it (or if your mudroom is madness), START HERE with my free video guide to learn how to do a full re-organization of your garage.
Then come back here to make sure you set it up for winter.
If your garage and mudroom are in good shape and ready for tweaks, I’ve put together a checklist of items to swap in/out, plus some bonus reminders for your car and purse/bag.
But first…
Besides considering snow melt run off and access to shovels from the outside, the key to preparing your garage and mudroom for winter is to make “seasonal swaps” so that the things you need most this season are the easiest to grab. And doing this means you also pull down the things that need to go in your car instead of frantically digging through all the bins the first time you need a snow scraper, etc.
Some of you may have the space to leave things in the same place all year. If that’s the case and you can easily access all your winter items, there’s no need to do any seasonal swaps! Simply make sure you’ve stocked your car/purse with what you need for the winter/emergencies.
Click here to download a printable version!
Some other thoughts/notes:
Holiday bins: You may have a setup that allows you to avoid rotating for the seasons, but consider it if you like to get in/out of bins a lot, especially for things like holiday wrapping paper (if it doesn’t have a home inside).
As you rotate, take a moment to inspect things. Clean tools, check for repairs needed, and dispose of anything that's worn out. It’s also a great time to do a little “curating” to make sure you’re only keeping the things that are still serving you, and letting go of the things that aren’t.
Mudrooms tend to have a lot of items “hanging around” that either need action or just need to be put back where they belong. Now is the time to make the returns, ship the things, put the dirty socks in the laundry.
When getting rid of things: You’ll be surprised what Goodwill takes! But Facebook Marketplace is the best way to get rid of things that can’t be donated, but that still have some life left in them! I use it all the time for things like scrap wood, old light fixtures, and old tools that clients no longer want.
For hats/gloves/scarves in the mudroom: I like to create a bin for each person, but if mom/dad needs a gloves/hat bin and a scarf bin, that’s great. Just remember to label.
Remember, seasonal rotation isn't just about moving bins around- it has a purpose.
It's about maximizing your space and creating a system that makes your life easier and your spaces more functional.
If you have the space to keep everything in place all year round, go for it! But I know that’s not the reality for most people.
So if you find yourself short on space, only keep in-season items in the prime real estate and move off-season items to a hard to reach storage area (sometimes that’s just those cabinets way up high in your mudroom that no one can reach without a ladder anyway).
And if you need help, you know I’m your girl for virtual coaching or in-home organizing! ;)
Happy Organizing!
Christina
PS: If you aren’t already getting notified about blog posts (and other organizing goodness) make sure you’re signed up for emails. I’ll even send you a free organizing guide to get you started!
December 19, 2024
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