The dictionary definition of a garage is a building used to house vehicles and automobiles. But it seems as though many a homeowner must not know that if my neighborhood is an example.

Yes I can see placing tools, a lawnmower, bikes and other items in it but it’s primary purpose should be to house one’s car(s) depending on it’s size.

we didn’t have a garage in our first two homes while living in North Carolina but due to the climate and our ability to afford a home with a garage we did without one. Instead, we built a shed to house all of our tools, lawnmower and bikes.

When we moved to New Hampshire we were fortunate to purchase a home that had a two-car garage which was great due to the cold weather and snowy and icy conditions. I recalled our time living in Nebraska and the mountains of Virginia where we didn’t have one where I often had to clean the snow and ice off of and around the cars which wasn’t much fun at all.

As such I wasn’t about to fill it with so much stuff that we couldn’t fit the cars in it and never have since.

Our neighborhood here in Jacksonville, all of the homes have garages, mostly two car and some three car ones. we also have ample parking available in our driveways. as such one would think there wouldn’t be much need to park one’s car(s) in the street.

Yet it seems like more than not most of our neighbors do. As such, a drive through our neighborhood is quite an adventure. not only do people park their cars in the street but often directly across from one another. This makes it difficult to even squeeze a regular size car between them let alone a delivery truck, school bus or garbage truck.

One drives along until they come upon a parked vehicle and then have to stop so that the approaching vehicle can get by.

I’ve driven past homes where the garage doors are open and I will notice garages full to the brim, top to bottom with things. With some there is only a small walk through to get to the inside door. Who in the world needs so much stuff and are more and more people becoming hoarders?

Recently I helped a neighbor clean out boxes he accumulated in his garage that is packed to the ceiling with stuff. while I was there, he had to also get to his water heater because he was having issues with it. It ended up taking us close to an hour to clear out an isle to get to it.

I recently spoke with our A/C repairman about issues they have with trying to repair and or replace such equipment in such homes. He indicated there were more such garages than one would imagine.

There also many neighbors who now use their garages as an additional room. As such there is no way they can park a vehicle in it.

My idea of keeping stuff is that if it’s going to stay in a bin or such in my garage for an extended period of time and not otherwise useful now or in the future then I need to either sell or donate it.

Sadly, many people seem to become emotionally attached to their stuff and can’t think of parting with it no matter the reason. As a result, they are forced to leave their cars out on the street where the elements can degrade it or a wayward driver ends up running into it.

Hopefully this trend will reverse itself and we can get back to letting our garages perform the task they were intended to do.

If so, it certainly would make a drive along our streets a much more pleasant one.

Thanks for checking in this week and hope you have a great one.