Summer is here and I am bound and determined to get the garage decluttered, cleaned and organized once and for all! Just yesterday I was trying to locate my porch decor but it has been lost in the abyss! It seems that most of us move into a new home with a fresh slate, and then all of the sudden, the garage just becomes a dumping ground that never seems to stay clean. Most people use their garage as a place where they can store their extra possessions, and soon the clutter builds up. I have been looking online for decluttering and organization ideas. Here are some do yourself tips for clearing out garage clutter and garage organization tips with links to great resources.*This post contains affiliate and/or sponsored links.
Organizing Garage Clutter
Making sure the garage is safe to work in is the first step, that is why it is so important to declutter your space. Even before getting down to the nitty gritty of clearing the clutter and organizing, it is important to sweep as much of the floor as possible. Begin by getting rid of any nails on the floor, cobwebs and debris, or anything that is lying loose on the floor. Once you have cleared a path it will be easier for you to work around the garage. If you have an excessive amount of clutter and garbage in your garage then you may need to rent a small dumpster.
Most people find it helpful to pull everything out on their driveway, so that they can actually see what they have. When you can see everything better, you’ll be able to make quicker decisions on what you need to keep and what you need to toss. If you are like me and want to work in really clean spaces, consider painting the walls or floors of your garage.
A great way to start is by creating three piles: Keep, Toss, Donate. When you are deciding if you want to keep something, make sure you ask yourself: do I really need this?
Organizing your Garage into Zones
A garage has many functions, so you’ll want to make sure that you can make the most of space when you have decluttered it. The easiest thing to do is divide your garage into zones, such as Gardening, Automotive, Sports, Holiday and Home Improvements.
In your gardening section, make sure that every gardening tool has a designated space that is easy to access. Only keep the gardening tools that you absolutely need.
Our garage is right next to my flower beds, so I want to organize all of my garden tools so they are easy to locate when I am ready to work in the garden.
In the automotive section, you will want to be sure that of your car supplies are easily accessible. You might have a whole array of car supplies such as tire cleaner, windshield wiper fluid, or a low profile jack. Your car supplies will vary, but most would probably fit in a metal storage cabinet.
If you are a big DIY’er, then your home improvement section may take some extra organizing. These will be the odds and ends that you need from time to time. For example, you might put your small power tools and everyday tools here or spare paint from a previous project. Remember to only keep the things that you need.
Maintaining your Organized Garage
Once you have the garage organized you will feel such a sense of accomplishment! You have done all the hard work and can now finally use your garage properly. Now that everything is all sorted, the clutter might just creep back in unfortunately. To avoid getting going through the whole decluttering process again, every time you bring something into your garage be sure to put it in it’s place. Always ask yourself “Do I really need this?”
I am really looking forward to getting our garage organized and decluttered. I will document the progress on the blog as it unfolds. In this post I included a couple of photos from Better Homes and Gardens’ article: Organized Garage That You Won’t Hate Driving Into. That title cracked me up and I can identify! I do get overwhelmed every time we pull in the garage! When I open the door to get out of the car, will something fall off the shelves and hit me in the head? It is high time to purge the garage!
It’s also important to make sure that the basics are working and in good order. It’s all well and good having the most organized garage in the world, but if the doors are broken, you’ll have to use specialists like Handyman Garage Doors to repair or replace your existing set.
Is organizing the garage on your to-do list? I love hearing from you dear readers! Thanks for visiting today!
Amber
2 Comments
the garage will be one of those big tasks we’ll have to face soon. The old house and the new. ouch.
February 22, 2019 at 8:14 pmI had a similar problem with my mother and her boyfriend, who served time in the military. He had a bunch of friends who passed away. Being that, he also accumulated a lot of memorabilia from his fallen comrades. I suggested that he clean the place once, but gave me a look that I won’t forget.
Shortly thereafter, during a small stint at a reunion for fallen soldiers, I called for the services of Jux Los Angeles, a garage and attic cleaning / reorganization company, based in southern a California. My mother’s boyfriend wasn’t pleased with what I had done at first. As a week passed by since the renovation, much to his chagrin, he had to tell me that the place looked so different and that now, he has a place where he can honor his brothers and sisters; in his garage ( I made it extra special and hung up some uniforms his comrades wore on the garage walls…)
July 16, 2019 at 12:42 pm