Clear the Clutter: Your Garage Doesn’t Have to Be a Mess
Apr 16, 2025
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Owning a home with a garage is immensely practical, and it’s something many city-dwellers wish they could enjoy. The space to park a car that’s safe from the elements, store your tools and toys, and carry out any number of DIY projects is a welcome addition to any living space.
Modern cars can start and run in some pretty nasty conditions. Even when it’s well below freezing, a fuel-injected car with a modern computer can start and operate normally with zero drama. Your human physiology doesn’t exactly have that feature, though.
Winter conditions can be corrosive to your car’s finish and can lead to mechanical issues down the road. So why not get your garage organized and park inside, instead of out in the cold? Not all garage owners enjoy these perks the way they should, though.
The reason for this is simple: Garages have a way of getting filled up with clutter. The luxury of extra space quickly becomes unappreciated, and instead of maximizing your garage’s practicality, you just take advantage of it. Don’t be that guy. Take your garage back! Read on for some simple garage cleaning tips.
Where to Begin Cleaning Your Garage Clutter
If you’re like much of America, you have a garage piled high with old junk and rarely used toys. Maybe you’ve been tidy enough to keep a narrow walking lane open, or maybe not. Make a commitment to fix it. In a weekend’s time, you can restore order to your garage, and have a warm, secure place to park your car.
Step one is to understand that you’ll have to throw things out. That bicycle you’ve had for eight years with the wheels that no longer rotate? It’s not going to make a comeback. Trust us. Donate things if it’s easier for you to live with, but you need to admit that not all your stuff has to stay.
Reorganize Garage Clutter for Projects
A clutter-strewn garage is a letdown for so many reasons, not the least of which is that you don’t have space for projects. That means things never get done, or worse, you end up paying someone to do work for you. Also, it’s a much better place to park your car than out on the street.
To avoid this unhappy situation, take a Sunday and go through the clutter in your garage. Do you need it all? Can you store what you need more efficiently? Pegboard, shelving and cabinets can all be added at little cost to help increase the storage capacity of your garage, and you’ll never have trouble finding things again.
Identify things you can store elsewhere. You might not be making the most of those cabinets in the kitchen, but they’re a much better home for paper plates than your garage. Avoid storing potentially toxic items like propane, which can be a fire hazard and should always stay outdoors, and paint, which can harden in cold environments.
Next, take advantage of your existing storage options. Have you got an attic? It’s likely you’re underusing its space. Get some containers and use them to make things you relocate easy to find. Organize your shelves, and when you’ve maximized your existing space, take the next step. Chances are, you can win back lots of space by throwing out trash and organizing items you want.
Install More Storage
Optimizing your garage so things are easy to find and your car will fit comfortably might require doing a little cabinetry. Get out those power tools. You’re going to need a power drill, preferably cordless, and the right selection of power saws. Make sure you find one that’s made for woodworking, brush up on the safety, and wear eye protection.
With your tools arranged, you can turn a few 2x4s and some plywood into a handy set of shelves or even a toolshed that keeps equipment out of the way and organized. Depending on the size and layout of your garage, you can install things like a workbench or overhead shelving to hold large items.
Be sure to measure and predrill your mounting points for garage storage. If you just go for it, you’re going to end up with a high number of holes in your garage’s walls. That doesn’t insulate or look good.
A pegboard makes a great addition to any garage. You can use it to hold smaller tools, and the customizable nature of pegboard means you can reconfigure it at any time to get the most from your space. It also makes you look like someone who’s super handy and does lots of projects.
Put Everything in Its Place
With your storage maximized, it’s time to decide where things will go. You don’t want the clean rags you use to wax your car stored next to weed killer, because there’s too much chance of things mixing and the results could be awful. This is why you should designate portions of the garage for different items.
Group together your small tools and organize them in a cabinet. Hang hand tools from the pegboard and use small storage cubbies for things like electrical fittings. For yard equipment, a cheap plastic trash can makes a great receptacle for tall items like rakes and shovels. Pick a shelf separate from where other items are kept to store things like fertilizer and insect killer.
An overhead compartment can easily be added to most garages. This is a great way to add storage if you have very large items or have simply run out of space. For example, a set of kayaks that would be awkward and clutter up space just about anywhere else will be right at home overhead.
Add a Workbench
A workbench is a great addition to any garage and provides you with a designated space for small projects that will keep them from spreading out into other parts of the room. When building a bench, consider the height and material you’ll need. You want to be able to stand or sit on a barstool while working, and the bench should be sturdy enough to take some serious force. For extra points, mount a vice and additional shelving.
Make The Garage Yours
With the basics out of the way, you can really have some fun. Many garages have been customized to the point that they’re not just a workspace, but are also a great place to hang out. Maybe you’d like to lay down some epoxy to seal the floor, add a custom door and ventilation, or install a mini-fridge. The possibilities are endless.
When you stop thinking about your garage as a throwaway space for clutter and begin to view it as a legitimate room in your home, you’ll realize just how useful it can be. You paid for the space, so why not put a little effort into it, clear things out and enjoy your space all that much more? Trust us, it’s the right call.
Originally posted 5/10/2017 — Updated 4/16/2025
