Your Garage: A Nice Place to Keep Your Car or a Storage Area?

My husband and I swore we would always park in our garage. Both his mother and my parents have perfectly serviceable garages, but neither of us had ever seen a car in them, because they were always filled to the gills.

We coasted along (into our spots in the garage) for around 4 years. Then, just before baby number 2 entered the picture, we were blocked. It was like the inside of our house coughed and spilled into our parking spots.

But, we remained determined to get back in here. Here are some tips on how we did it:

• Step 1: If you’ve watched any of the cleanup shows on cable, follow their lead and identify, “garbage,” “sell,” “keep,” and “donation” items.
• Step 2: The garbage and the donation items can be cleared rather quickly. So, as the saying goes, start with the low hanging fruit.
• Step 3: Donations. For us, a bag of clothes that were meant to go to Goodwill found their new home.
• Step 4: Selling is the tough part, but it can be worth it.

Some tips on selling stuff you no longer want:

• Post items to Facebook and/or Twitter first. One of our friends who was moving into her first new place, was happy to get a deal on our former guest room bedroom set (that our daughter’s crib and changing table took over).
• I have to put in a plug for Patch, since posting to the Marketplace here is free. I have personally done it and it worked well for me.
• Next, try Craigslist. Search for similiar items first and price competitively. Don’t give personal info, until you feel confident you have a legitimate lead.
• If you want to be more anonymous than Craig’s List, try ebay. Just remember it’s more work-you have to get good pictures, fill out a lot of info to categorize the item, then ship.
• Go low-tech. Local grocery stores are a good way to advertise. Make a quick flyer, bring it in and hang it.

Here are some places in and around Warren that will happily take many of your discards:

Lifeline Animal Rescue
Why do it? They are a 501c3 charity that takes animals from overcrowded shelters and places them in foster care, as they work towards finding more permanent homes.
Contact Info: 16 Mount Bethel Road Box #10, Warren, NJ 07059. Phone: (908) 507-3900. Email: LifelineInfo@aol.com.
What will they take: Office supplies, as well as animal care and feeding products.

Food Bank Network of Somerset County
Why do it? They provide direct assistance to our needy neighbors.
Contact Info: Drop-off donations at 9E Easy Street, Bridgewater (MiddleBrook Crossroads Industrial Park). Phone: 732-560-1813.
What they will take: Food items, but also cleaning and hygiene items including: deodorant, hand soap, diapers/wipes, dish detergent, laundry detergent, paper towels, shampoo, toilet paper and toothpaste.

Salvation Army
Why do it? They are a 501c3 charity that provides extensive charity work supporting families and communities.
Contact Info: 199 East Route 22, Dunellen. Phone: Tel: 1-800-SA-TRUCK.
What will they take: Mostly cars, clothing and furniture.