Tips for Decluttering Your Garage

Get that Garage Organized!

Decluttering a garage can give you an immense feeling of satisfaction: You can donate or sell unwanted items and properly organize the belongings that are left. To make the process easier, these tips will go a long way. And remember that if you still feel like you don’t have enough room in your garage, low-cost Bay Area storage units may be able to help.

Plan Properly

Like any big job, proper planning will help you succeed in the task of decluttering. Supplies are important: The Spruce advises that you have sturdy trash bags, a broom or vacuum, and a “catch-all basket for odds and ends” on hand. Boxes might also be helpful; for example, some people choose to pack up certain items and move them to a low-cost Bay Area storage option. Similarly, seasonally used items, like decorations, may be good candidates for relocation to storage.

You’ll also need to set aside enough time to tackle the task. The amount of time you need will vary depending on the size and state of your garage, but Unclutter.com recommends reserving a day to a full weekend.

The Four Piles

A good practice for decluttering is to create four piles, one for each of these categories:

• Items to be donated.
• Items to be sold.
• Items to be kept.
• Items to be thrown away.

Sometimes, it’s easy to decide what to do with a given item. But if you’re having trouble, Unclutter puts forth this guideline: If you haven’t used the item in a year, it can go.

Organize the Remaining Items

Once you know which items will definitely be staying, you can organize them. It’s wise to put large items, like a lawnmower, in one of the back two corners of your garage, per Unclutter. Items you use often should be in an easy-to-reach place, while infrequently used items can go on high-up storage. Another way to organize is to put items that have similar purposes together; for instance, basketballs, soccer balls, and so on can be stowed together. Finally, Unclutter recommends hanging bicycles and tools on the wall.

Don’t Forget to Clean

Different sources recommend cleaning at different parts in the process, but it’s important to clean, regardless of when you choose to do it. Your decluttering efforts will feel even more worthwhile if you sweep or vacuum up debris and so on.

Looking for Low-Cost Storage in the Bay Area for Some of Your Stuff?

Curious about what the best-priced Bay Area self-storage options are? If so, please get in touch with At Your Step Storage. With our driveway-delivered storage solutions, we focus on making storage convenient and affordable. To learn more, give us a call at (877) 900-7837.