Many people who keep an otherwise neat and tidy home have a garage reminiscent of a natural disaster. Most of these people have had a full garage cleaning on the to-do list for quite some time. However, fall presents the last opportunity to finally organize the garage before the cold weather sets in – so now’s the time to finally get it done.

Use these helpful tips to make your autumn garage blitz a success:

1. Get rid of the junk

The most important step in any garage reorganization is getting rid of the junk. Now’s the time to finally get rid of the half can of orange house paint you’ve had since the 70’s. Similarly, if the kids are off to college, the tricycle can probably go.

You should organize your unwanted items into two piles – ‘donate/sell’ and ‘trash’. For the useless items in the ‘trash pile’, consider calling your local Junk It!. We offer a wide range of bin sizes for jobs big and small.

2. Start with a clean slate

We recommend removing everything from the garage as a first step. That way, you can be intentional about what you want to keep and throw away, as you put back only the items you would like to keep. Don’t forget to give your garage a thorough cleaning and sweep before you put anything back.

3. Think storage solutions

You want to maximize the limited storage space you have available in the garage. The key to doing so is placing items on shelving or in bins. You can mount shelving on the walls or purchase a premade shelving unit. Stackable plastic bins are also a great way to manage clutter.

4. Hang around

Hanging items such as rakes and other yard work equipment is a great way to use idle wall space, and keep everything easily accessible. Simple hooks purchased from the local hardware store can be screwed into the wall and will work like a charm.

5. Organization is key

Try to keep everything organized by occasion, season, or function. This will help you locate items when you need them, and provide a natural place to store a new item when you buy it. Be sure to label boxes based on what they contain.

6. Set aside enough time

These sorts of projects inevitably tend to take longer than you think they will. We recommend starting on Saturday morning, and setting aside the entire weekend, just in-case. You can look forward to an uncluttered garage, and give yourself a well deserved pat on the back when the project is complete!

Cleaning the garage can seem like an impossibly daunting task, especially if you have no idea where to start. All many people need is a bit of structure and guidance to help get them going. With these handy tips, you can finally get that monkey off your back, and return your garage to its original pristine state.