1. Get out of here!
Remove everything from the garage, making three main piles for your "stuff": seasonal items that go in storage, stuff to sell or giveaway, and stuff to store for easy access.
Photo Credit: flickr/@abrunvoll
Do It Your Style
How To Organize Your Messy Garage
by Erin Loechner
A reader wrote in with a dilemma that gives me little pings of anxiety just thinking about it:
Help! My garage is so cluttered that I can't even walk in it. I'm dreading cleaning it out -- but I'd really like to get organized. Plan of attack?
I actually went through this situation a year ago exactly when I made the cross-country move from L.A. to a sleepy Midwest town. And although it wasn't an easy job, my friends gave me endless tips that proved useful on more than one occasion
View the gallery above for more tips for organizing your garage.
For more cleaning tips, check out Cleaning With Vinegar and The Best Homemade Cleaning Solutions.
Photo Credit: Flickr/Rubbermaid Products
-
Pin It
-
Pin It
2. Take inventory
Once your garage is empty, re-think the way you are storing your items. One of the biggest reasons garages attract so much clutter is because there is often a major lack of storage. Consider investing in a storage solution, or purchase a few inexpensive shelving units from your local big box retailers.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
-
Pin It
3. Clean house
Sweep, disinfect and vacuum in necessary areas. When your garage is clean, you're less likely to bring in additional clutter you don't need.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
-
Pin It
4. Get creative
Consider a pegboard system for vertical tools, or perhaps you'd prefer an outdoor storage shed for your lawn mower and larger items.
Photo Credit: Flickr/Rubbermaid Products
-
Pin It
5. Move in!
Move in your labeled bins and boxes into your newly-organized garage. Breathe a sigh of relief because you're finished!
Photo Credit: CalFinder
-
Pin It
Of course, you do still have one final step before you can partake in that celebratory glass of wine. Keep it organized. Clutter is entirely manageable when you stay on top of it, so make a pact to yourself that you'll never let your garage get that bad again. Deal?
Photo Credit: Kevin Elliott
StyleList Home