When it comes time for spring cleaning and overall decluttering in the house, the garage is often overlooked. In fact, it’s often the spot where things “for a rainy day” get stored. However, if you’re lucky enough to have a garage, it’s a great space to utilize– as long as you keep it neat and organized! From tools and sports equipment to gardening supplies and cleaning products, the key to an organized garage is to designate storage zones and stick to a layout that makes sense for you and your family.1. Start with a clean slate.The best way to organize your garage is to take everything out of the garage. If you try to organize the space while everything is still inside, it can quickly turn into an overwhelming mess. Hopefully, you can enlist a few friends or family members to help you with clearing everything out– if not, just take it step by step and be sure to set aside a good chunk of time (which could mean a couple of days, depending on the size and amount of clutter you’re starting with). Create piles with things that are similar grouped together. You can also create ‘donate’, ‘sell’, and ‘trash’ piles for things you no longer use or need. From there, you’ll be able to have a better idea of what it is you actually need to organize and make room for!2. Speaking of ‘clean slate’, now it’s time to DEEP clean.Garages are subject to a lot of dirt and grime. Before you start organizing everything nice and tidy, you’ll want to be sure your garage is fresh and clean. Break out the sponges, brooms, bleach, and vinegar for this project! If you store vehicles in your garage, be sure to mop the floor and remove motor oil stains by laying out clay cat litter to absorb the oil and dish soap to cut through the grease. Then, use a wire scrub brush to really dig in and remove everything from the surface.3. Keep it UP!Get things up off the ground and into cabinets and other storage spaces! A garage is much easier to keep neat and tidy when you have space to move around. Plus, it’s nice to be able to use your garage for its original intention… storing a car or other large items! Don’t let things pile up on the floor– and that includes basketballs, shoes, storage bins, etc. Make a habit of putting things where they belong (i.e. designated shelves, hooks, etc.) and resist the urge to toss them on the ground.4. Create sensible storage solutions.If you decide to use bins, either use clear bins or clearly labeled bins so that you know where everything is when you need it. Also be sure to organize in a way that makes sense for you; for example, seasonal decor can be placed high and out of the way for most of the year, while tools or other things you use more frequently should be placed in easy-to-access spots. If you install shelving, make sure it is sturdy enough to hold what you intend to place on it.5. Think outside of the box (or bin)!While it’s easy to spend a lot of money on storage solutions, that doesn’t have to be the case when organizing your garage. From old shoe boxes to old bookshelves, plenty of items can be utilized for storage solutions. Even old sauce and soup jars can be used to store nails, brushes, and other small items.Of course, there is no one right way to organize a garage. You may have more sports equipment, an extra fridge, pantry items, woodworking supplies, or a classic car… every garage is different! Be sure to try different things and space-saving techniques until you find the best system that makes your garage work for you and your family.

If you’re looking to upgrade to a new home, now’s the time to buy! Whether you’re an empty nester looking to downsize or you’re starting a family and looking for more room, the current market is in your favor. After a very low inventory (from 2020-2021), the supply of homes has seen a slight increase, giving homebuyers – like you! – more options to consider.However, inventory hasn’t increased so much that there is a surplus of homes. This can cause the value of your current home to go down; the savings on a new home, though, may offset the fact that you may have to sell your home at a lower rate in this market.With higher interest rates, homebuyers who have more equity in their homes will be able to qualify for more. And cash buyers are in an even more advantageous position because they don’t have to worry about interest rates at all. Antares Homes buyers are in an even better position because we are currently offering incentives to help you buy down your rate! Learn more - CLICK HERE.If you are looking to move-up to a new home right now, you should have a few things in order:Excellent credit: It’s no secret that the best mortgage deals will be available to those who have credit scores of 740 and above. You’ll be in line for the lowest mortgage rates as long as you’ve demonstrated you are a low-risk borrower with a history of on-time payments.Enough saved for a down payment: Before you dive into the search for a new home, do you have enough saved for a down payment? Take a tally of your monthly bills and be sure you have a sizable amount of cash that you don’t mind digging into. Not only that, you’ll want to ensure you have money leftover – the last thing you want to do is spend your last dime on a home that you don’t need right now. Plus, lenders feel more comfortable loaning money to those who have additional cash reserves.Confidence that you’ll be staying put for a while: Many people consider purchasing prices and down payments, in addition to furnishings and more, when buying a new home. Not to mention the closing costs and any unexpected expenses that may pop up. But to justify all of these one-time transaction costs, it’s wise to plan to stay in this new spot – or know that you’ll be financially stable enough to hold on to the property and rent it out.Buying a home at any point can feel challenging and overwhelming. But playing the waiting game can prove just as tricky. We recommend that you take the time to thoroughly review your finances and take the pulse of the town in which you’re hoping to live. Do enough research where you can feel confident in your decision either way!