How to Organize Your Home Room by Room, Part 3: The Garage

Create a Usable Space With These Simple Garage Organization Tips 

If you shudder when your neighbors get a glimpse inside your garage, now is the time to declutter, especially before summer is in full swing. 

Garages are often a catch-all area for everything from old sporting equipment to those broken Christmas decorations you’ve been meaning to throw away. So take advantage of a sunny weekend, open up the garage doors and don’t close them until everything is organized and your car fits comfortably in its spot. 

Take Everything Out of the Garage and Sort It

While sometimes a daunting task, it’s best to completely empty your garage so you can start with a clean slate. As you clear the space, make designated piles and group items that are likely to be used together. 

Common Item Groups:

• Sporting gear.
• Garden accessories.
• Outdoor decorations.
• Toys.
• Tools and hardware.
• Landscaping equipment.
• Spare car parts.

Pro Tip: As you gather up and sort through items, pay attention to any cleaning supplies, weed killer and insecticide that you find. Check for any that are past their prime and ensure none of the bottles have leaks. Never pour any yard or garden chemicals down the drain, even if they are diluted with water. Each chemical has a label with disposal requirements, but if the label is missing or torn, it’s best to be safe and dispose of them at a local facility that accepts household chemical waste.

Check for duplicate items in your piles that you didn’t realize you had. For example, if you find your garden pile has three watering cans and two hoses, set the extras aside in a separate donation pile – as long as they are in good working condition. 

Invest in Storage Solutions

Once you categorize all your belongings and weed out duplicate items, it’s time to make a plan to keep everything accessible and neat. But don’t worry about organizing by yourself, involve the entire family so you all commit to the plan. 

Adequate storage space is essential for any garage organization system to succeed long term. We have a few ideas on how to organize your garage, but check out our collection of organization pins on Pinterest for extra inspiration as you consider your unique space.
 

 

What to Do With Items That Didn't Make the Cut

After you’ve emptied, sorted and organized, you may still have a pile of stuff from the garage that you no longer use or need. While some of this can be thrown away, certain things may have plenty of good mileage left. 

If you are looking to make a few extra dollars from your belongings, consider selling them through a yard sale or via an online option. List items for sale on Craigslist or use the letgo app, and wait for the offers to roll in. 

Keep These Garage Organization Tips in Mind All Year

The trick to an organized garage is to keep it that way once you’ve put in all the hard work to declutter and install smart storage options. Follow these rules to stick to your garage organization plan: 

1. Always put items back in their correct spot, even if you are in a rush.
2. If you replace something, make sure you throw away the original.
3. Only add new storage as necessary.

Ready to tackle some other rooms? Read our guide to organizing your entire home or click the banner below to learn how to declutter your whole home.