Declutter Your Garage In An Afternoon With This Slightly Chaotic Method

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There's just something about the garage that attracts clutter. Maybe it's the open space or the mishmash of items stored there, but more often than not, the garage often feels like the junk drawer of the house. According to a survey from Craftsman, 62% of U.S. adults agree, admitting that their garage is the most cluttered room in the house. But for many homeowners, the idea of decluttering the garage is just as stressful. Luckily, there's one method that can help you sort through your garage in just a few hours: the out-in-the-open method.

This decluttering method is exactly what it sounds like: Take everything out of cupboards, off shelves, out of bins and baskets, and lay it out on the floor. The idea is that having all of your belongings out in the open (hence the name) will help you more easily identify what's important to you (a.k.a., what you want to keep) and what isn't. This method is especially helpful in the garage, where you store small items, like that Phillips head screwdriver, alongside bigger ones, like your kids' bikes or your leaf blower. Plus, moving everything out of the garage and into your driveway or yard motivates you to declutter, organize, and put away by nightfall.

Don't get us wrong; this method will likely feel like full-on chaos before it converges into the organized garage of your dreams. Remember to take short breaks and trust the process. Grab a few bags and boxes for decluttered items and let's get started.

Start by taking everything out of the garage and placing it in your driveway or yard. And when we say "everything," we mean it. Remove things from their bins and boxes so you can see what you have. Yes, it's an extra step, but it's the only way to notice those four identical hammers hiding in your toolbox. Take a quick minute to clean — sweep the floors, wipe the shelves, knock down the cobwebs — so the space is ready for your decluttered items.

Next, pick your zones. Zones are the areas where main categories in your garage — think car care, cleaning products, home repair, yard tools, lawn care — will live. The zones themselves are unique to your household, so don't worry about getting it "perfect." It's more important that they work for you. Make sure zones that you use more often are easier to get to than ones you rarely need. For example, your holiday decorations can go to a harder-to-reach zone, but your weekend yard equipment should be easy to grab.

Now it's time to declutter. There are a few guidelines to keep in mind. First, skip the "keep" box and instead, make a pile of things you want or need. Next, if it's expired, dispose of it properly. (Earth911 is a great resource for this.) If it's broken, decide if you want to put the energy into repairing it or if it's trash. Finally, there's a few commonly stored items you can safely toss, like worn-out sports gear, trash, extra building materials, and those things you're hanging on to for "someday."

Once everything is sorted, it's time to organize it in your garage's zones. There are a lot of organizing methods out there, but bins and shelves are the easiest way to keep your garage storage organized, especially if you have an adjustable shelving unit. This way, you can easily make space for all the oversized items and keep your garage tidy. Sturdy plastic bins, like the Amyup Plastic Storage Bins, are equally helpful for containing smaller items, like work gloves, lightbulbs, rags, extension cords. Label each bin to make it easy to find what you're looking for and ensure it's clear where things should go back. Organize your bins on the shelves by zone. For example, put your car cleaning product bin next to the rags or set your home cleaning kit next to the door to the house so it's easy to grab.

What about your leaf blower, weed whacker, and other long items? Use your walls. You don't need anything fancy; some Command hooks or a few nails in the wall will work. Just make sure to hammer nails for heavier items into studs. Pegboards are a great option to organize small, hard-to-hang tools that you regularly reach for, like pliers, hammers, or small pruning sheers.

Once you've returned everything you want to keep to its new home in your newly decluttered garage, what should you do with everything else? Take action on it ASAP, even if it's simply taking the trash out, taking photos of the "to sell" items, and stashing donations in your trunk to drop off tomorrow.