It happens to everyone: You let the garage turn into a space where you dump your storage without any rhyme or reason and now you have no choice but to clean it out and get things organized. Whether you’re doing a little spring cleaning or you’re sick of spending 45 minutes trying to find that one storage bin that holds your holiday decorations, cleaning out your garage can be a daunting task if you don’t know where to start. Use this guide to learn where to start and how to best declutter your garage.
THE WEEKEND CLEANOUT PLAN: SORT, THEN SETUP
You may look at your cluttered garage and think “it’d just be easier to throw everything out and start fresh,” but you don’t need to wipe the slate clean to get your space organized and manageable. Garage cleanout is a two-step process: First, sort your items, then set up your new storage solutions. Before you get started, have a few heavy duty garbage bags, tarps, a permanent marker, painter’s tape and a folding table ready to help keep things organized.
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Phase 1: Sorting. Empty out the contents of your garage onto the driveway. Yes, all of it. You can’t sort what you can’t see. Sort your items into four piles: keep, trash, donate or relocate.
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Phase 2: Setup. Set up wall and overhead storage solutions first, saving anything you plan to store on your garage floor for last.
Note: Consider the weekend weather when you’re planning your garage cleanout, as you’ll need to store your items outside while setting up your storage solutions.
WHAT TO KEEP, DONATE, TRASH AND RELOCATE
Sorting your items into keep, donate, trash and relocate piles might seem overwhelming, but there are certain criteria you can follow to help make the process easier.
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Keep: Anything you’ve used in the last 12 months. Think sports equipment, lawn care tools, holiday decor or anything you deem irreplaceable.
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Donate: If you have any duplicate items, unexpired paint you won’t use or sports equipment your kids have outgrown, your local resale shop will gladly take the donations.Â
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Trash: Dried or expired paint, old chemicals and rusty tools should be trashed—but be sure to consult your county hazmat schedule before tossing any chemicals or oil-based paints as these can be hazardous material.
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Relocate: Anything you want to keep, just not in your garage. Last season’s decor that you could probably store in the attic or a closet, paperwork that should be stored in a filing cabinet in your office or kitchen overflow that can be squeezed into the pantry can all be relocated to free up space in the garage.
HOW TO MEASURE YOUR GARAGE BEFORE YOU BUY STORAGE
Before you purchase and set up your garage storage solutions, measure your space to get a clear picture of the area you have to work with. Don’t forget to consider your car when taking measurements, if you plan on parking your car inside the garage rather than the driveway.
When taking the dimensions of your garage, three measurements matter: total wall length, ceiling height (considering the space your garage door takes up when it is fully open) and depth. If you park your car in the garage, measure the dimensions of the vehicle and tape off a “car zone” on the garage floor. Make sure to account for your car’s door swing when taking measurements to help prevent damage to your doors or your wall storage.
Jot down your measurements before you head out to shop for your storage solutions. You can even sketch out the layout possibilities to get a clearer picture of how you intend to set up your overhead storage, shelving units and garage cabinets.
ZONE-BASED GARAGE STORAGE FOR WHAT'S LEFT
Now that you’ve cleared out the clutter, taken inventory of what you’re storing and measured your space, you can start choosing the right storage solutions for your garage. To keep things simple and easy to navigate, break out sections of your garage into functional zones, including:
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Daily-use zone: An easy-to-access location where you store items you reach for every day. Items like dog leashes, recycling bins, gardening tools or emergency supplies like flashlights and a first-aid kit can be stored in cabinets like this Ready-to-Assemble Large Gearbox from Gladiator brand.
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Workshop zone: An area where you can keep your tools and supplies at eye level. You can also incorporate a workbench to create a workspace for your projects, or opt for a combination of storage and workstation like this 9-Drawer Mobile Tool Workbench from Gladiator brand.Â
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Sports and lawn care item zone: For items that you use less often but still within reach. Loose items like balls, athletic pads or cleats can be stored in baskets like this 24″ Wide Mesh Basket hung on Gladiator® Wall Systems, while bikes, kayaks and yard tools can be hung on hooks like these options from Gladiator brand.
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Long-term storage zone: Storage for the items you keep but don’t reach for regularly. Keep bulky but lightweight items like holiday decorations or camping equipment in overhead racks above the car, like this Gladiator® Overhead Gearloft™ Storage Rack.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: HOW DO I MAKE THE MOST OF MY SMALL GARAGE SPACE?
A. You can maximize even the smallest garages by considering all of the possible storage spaces in the area. If most of the floor is taken up by your car, consider wall or overhead storage to get items off the ground.
Q: HOW OFTEN SHOULD I CLEAN OUT MY GARAGE?
A. Giving your garage an annual audit and deep clean can help you avoid clutter and keep the space clear of obstructions, dirt and grime. For regular maintenance cleaning, it really depends on your personal preference when determining how often you do it. You can opt for small daily cleaning tasks or clean on a monthly or quarterly basis.
Q: HOW DO I KEEP MY STORED ITEMS ORGANIZED AND EASY TO FIND?
A. You don’t have to go searching through cabinets, drawers and shelves to find what you need. Simply label storage containers and cabinet doors using masking tape and a permanent marker to keep your items easily identifiable.
TRANSFORM YOUR GARAGE WITH GLADIATOR® GARAGE STORAGE
Turn your cluttered garage into an easy-to-navigate storage space with Gladiator® Garage Storage. Discover cabinets, wall organization and shelving designed to help you reimagine what’s possible in your garage.
