How to Declutter Your Garage in 3 Easy Steps
Lawnmowers, athletic equipment, toolboxes, camping gear, old newspapers…
Garages are great for storing stuff— with the exception of your car, of course.
Oftentimes, we stuff our garages with items we seldom use, until they become so cluttered we can’t even use them for what they’re meant for – parking our cars.
In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, 25 percent of people with two-car garages don’t have room to park inside. Furthermore, 32 percent of them only have room for one car.
Do you fall in that percentile? If so, don’t worry. It happens. Over time we collect stuff. Lots and lots of stuff. The key is to organize that stuff so your home is still inhabitable.
With a little can-do attitude, and help from some organizing professionals, you can declutter your garage in no time.
Garage Decluttering Ideas
Take Everything Out
“Get a couple tarps and blankets to place your items on and lay them in an open area like the driveway or lawn. Once everything is out, be sure to seep and wash down the floors and walls,” said Vanessa Hayes of Simple Life Together. “This may be a great opportunity to paint the walls and stain your concrete floor. It’ll give your space a fresh, clean, new look.”
Sort and Assess Value
One of the hardest steps in decluttering your garage is deciding what you need and don’t need. General rule of thumb: if you haven’t used it in the past year, pitch it.
"Once you've decided what to keep and what to toss, consider donating those items in the toss pile to your local charity. Donating gently used items to a local charity is a great way to recycle and give back to your own community."
Natalie Gallagher | Refined Rooms
Organize and Label
Once you’ve decided what items you’re keeping and what items you’re parting with, it’s time to start organizing. Organization is the key to keeping everything clutter-free. An easy way to do that while maximizing the space in your garage is to create storage.
Elizabeth Voyles, author at The Organized Mom, said the simplest ways to maximize your garage’s storage space are to add storage racks to the ceiling and use all of your wall space.
“On large open walls, bring in or build shelves for storage,” she said. “Use the entire wall, going all the way up to the ceiling. High shelves are great for Christmas decorations or cushions from your summer patio chairs. Pegboards or nails are the perfect places to hang tools. This keeps them off the ground and allows easy access.”
Be sure to label anything that is in bins or is not in plain sight.
Decluttering your garage can take some time, but if done properly, your car will thank you for it. Have some more tips on how to declutter your garage? Share them in the comments below!