A typical garage is a good place to start working towards an eco-friendly way of life. Garages tend to get little attention compared to the rest of the house, and are sometimes treated like that closet you never go into. The idea of just putting everything in the garage is great until the garage is so full of junk that there is almost no room for the car! Making positive changes in your garage is a great way to reduce waste, get organized and recycle.

You can save money on energy costs by insulating your garage door, water heater, and windows. Replace your un-insulated garage door with an insulated garage door. Change out your single pane garage windows with insulated, double-pane windows. The other option is to invest in insulating window film or curtains. If the water heater for your house is in your garage, make sure it is outfitted with an insulating blanket. These small changes will do wonders for your energy bill.

Be careful and responsible when it comes to getting rid of any hazardous materials you may have lying around in your garage. Check the use by dates on chemicals, car maintenance items, cleaning solvents and pesticides. Dispose of your old hazardous chemicals in accordance with community guidelines, rather than just throwing them in the trash. There are typically specific drop off points for the disposal of hazardous waste. Get in touch with your local trash company for location information. It’s a bad idea to get rid of these items with the rest of your regular trash because chemicals in landfills can get into groundwater, potentially poisoning wildlife and ultimately finding their way into our water supply.

Look into outfitting your garage with eco-friendly options for the products that you do buy. Make a list of the products that you need, and when you go to the home improvement store, look for products that are less toxic and healthier for your house. A good example is using steam to get rid of grime and grease without the need for chemicals. Steam is safe and cheap to use.

When it comes to reorganizing, make efforts to sell or donate the items you don’t need rather than just throwing them out. Save extra space in your garage to buy products for the house in bulk. Buying in bulk will save you money over time and it’s better for the environment because less packaging is used.

Be on the lookout for oil and water leaks. Keep your garage clean by taking care of your car. Make sure to install energy efficient light bulbs in your garage too. Another great tip is to make sure to clean the coils of your garage refrigerator or freezer. Your refrigerator and freezer will last longer and use less energy if their condensing coils are cleaned regularly.