One of the most overlooked areas of most homes is the garage. Too often, this area intended for lodging our cars becomes a catch-all space full of things we rarely use and, in many cases, no longer need. Rather than letting your garage degrade into a cluttered storage room, you can transform this part of your home into a functioning and organized space. Keep reading for tips on how to clean up your garage and finally create a space that works for you.

Garage Organization Tips

If you have been using your garage as a dumping ground, it’s not too late to take action. To begin, take an inventory of all the clutter your garage has accumulated. What types of items are you housing in this space? Here are some of the most common belongings that can be found in a garage and organized more effectively into sections to be placed on shelves, in cabinets, or overhead storage bins.

1. Tools

All homeowners know that maintaining a house requires many tools, especially for those living in regions with diverse climates. With seasonal objects like snow shovels and garden rakes, these necessities are quick to become disorderly.

To organize the tools in your garage, first sort through them and determine which tools you truly need. Get rid of any items that are broken or old items that you’ve replaced. Once you know which tools you plan to keep, install and organization system like hooks, shaker cabinets with a  workbench, or shelves to keep these items tidy and in a dedicated place.

2. Recycling

Making an effort to recycle is important, but can often require a lot of space. Don’t let your garage turn into a collection of cans, bottles, and newspapers. For a clean, organized look, purchase large recycling bins with lids that will have enough to space to store your recyclable waste and be diligent about delivering it or having it picked up.

Another common item that accumulates in the garage is magazines and newspapers. If you have stacks of paper products in your garage, you may not currently think of them as ‘recycling’, but any material that hasn’t been read ought to be recycled. This sort of item takes up a lot of valuable space and is often never used.

3. Toys and Bicycles

Homeowners who have children commonly use the garage as a space for broken or old toys. If you are housing any items that aren’t functioning, dedicate the time to fix or dispose of them. If there are items in your garage that are in good condition and no longer being used, donate these items to a local charity.

Create a space in your garage for the toys and bicycles that you still use. By installing bike hooks, shelves with baskets, or cabinets, you will be able to stay better organized and hide unsightly clutter.

4. Building Materials

Whether you recently built your home, did renovations, or have occasional home improvement projects, you are likely to have a variety of building materials on hand. Sort through the items you have in your garage and determine if you will need them in the future. If you have leftover items that might be useful to others like extra tile, hardwood floors, or patio stones, look for a local organization that you can donate them to rather than throwing them away.

Another common maintenance item homeowners keep on hand is touch-up paint. If you have cans of partially used paint in your garage, open the cans to see if the contents are still good. In areas with extreme temperature changes, the quality of the paint can be compromised. If your paint appears to have changed consistency, it may need to be thrown away.

5. Appliances and Other Household Items

When we run out of space in our homes, bulky items are commonly moved out to the garage to collect dust. This is especially true for kitchen appliances like crock pots, microwaves, blenders, etc. Is a part of your garage dedicated to items you moved out of your home and will never use again? If so, donate these items to a local charity.

Along with smaller kitchen appliances, broken large kitchen appliances also tend to land in the garage. Don’t allow a non-functioning refrigerator or dishwasher to take up the space that should be dedicated to a car. Spend an afternoon disposing of them or find a local business that will come pick them up.

6. Seasonal Decor

For many homeowners, the garage is the only place to store seasonal decor like holiday or garden decorations. One of the best ways to keep these items organized is to install a storage system. By introducing shelving to your garage, you can put Christmas ornaments, outdoor string lights, and Halloween decor in organized plastic bins that are elevated off the ground. This will not only help you find what you are looking for when each season comes around, but it’ll also make your garage easier to clean.