Summer is the perfect time to tackle some projects around the house, both inside and out in the yard. If you’ve been staring down the pile of clutter in your garage, now’s the time to sift through it all, discard what you no longer need, and put the essentials back in their rightful place. If you’re overwhelmed by the thought of clearing out your garage, use these tips as your guide to get started!

Decluttering

Remove all items from your garage. Take everything out of your garage so you know exactly what you’re working with. Plus, there’s something about seeing everything in a large pile that motivates you to pare down your belongings.

Deep clean the entire space. Use this rare opportunity to deep clean the garage from ceiling to floor. Clear out cobwebs or other debris and give the floors a good cleaning with a broom or Shop-Vac. Wipe down the walls, built-ins and the ceiling if needed.

Split items into piles. Pick up each item and place it in piles designated as “keep,” “donate” or “toss.” Use tarps so you can easily transport your “donate” and “toss” piles to your car after you’re done.

Be ruthless. When in doubt, throw it out. Use the “one year rule,” which says if you haven’t used it in the last year, it goes in the “donate” pile. If you’re having a hard time parting with something, think about the space you’ll gain if it’s gone!

Organizing

Separate items by category. Split up all your “keep” items into categories for an easy reentry, including sporting equipment, yard equipment, car equipment, miscellaneous tools, etc. At this point, you have another opportunity to get rid of any duplicates you might have.

Add shelving and hooks. Add a shelving unit to store bins off the floor and hooks to display tools. This keeps your floors clear for larger equipment, and more importantly — cars!

Store seasonal items higher. Put fall accessories, holiday decor or other seasonal items higher up, as you access it less frequently throughout the year. And when it’s time to take them down, you can replace them with your patio cushions and summer accessories.

Use and label bins. Buy a set of matching bins of various sizes to store your items. Consider clear bins so you can see the contents — or add labels so you know exactly where everything is.

It’s Go Time

I hope this list inspires you to declutter and organize your garage this summer!

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