How to Clean, Declutter and Organize Your Garage

The garage has one major disadvantage compared with the rest of the house: You can close the door.

Garages get cluttered because we ask them to do too many jobs. They're the parking spot, the toolshed, the sports locker, the holiday warehouse and the place where everything goes when nobody has decided where it goes.

The fix isn't more shelving. It's deciding what matters, getting rid of what doesn't, cleaning as you go and giving everything a zone.

Best of all, you don't have to drag your whole garage onto the driveway to do it.

Jump to:

• Declutter Before You Organize
• What to Get Rid Of
• How to Clean a Garage
• How to Clean a Garage Floor
• Garage Storage Zones
• Garage Wall Storage
• Sports Equipment
• Bikes and Outdoor Gear
• Tools and DIY Supplies
• Garage Chemicals
• What Not to Store in the Garage
• Holiday and Seasonal Storage
• Garage Chores for Kids
• Make Room for the Car
• Common Mistakes
• Maintenance Routine
• Garage Organizing FAQ

Start by Deciding What Your Garage Is For

Before you buy a single bin, decide what your garage's main jobs are. Ask yourself:

• Do you want to park cars there?
• Store tools?
• Keep bicycles and sports equipment?
  
• House a workshop?
  
• Store gardening supplies?
  
• Keep household overflow?
  

Now rank them. Your priority list decides who gets the best real estate. A $30,000 car usually outranks a stack of boxes you haven't opened since the Bush administration. (Either one.) Floor space is limited, so decide up front what deserves it.

Declutter Before You Organize

The fastest way to organize a garage is to have less in it. Declutter before you buy containers, or you'll just end up with neatly labeled junk.

Work one section at a time, and sort everything into four piles.

Keep Keep what you use or truly want. Sitting in the garage for eight years doesn't prove you need something. If anything, it proves the opposite.

Donate Bag it, box it and get it in your car right away. A donation pile that stays in the garage is just clutter with good intentions.

Sell Give yourself a deadline. If it hasn't sold in two weeks, lower the price or donate it.

Toss Throw out anything broken or unsafe. Paint, chemicals, batteries and other hazardous materials don't go in the household trash, so check your city's hazardous-waste drop-off.

Shop Baskets, Bins & Storage →

How to Declutter Your Home → 

What Should You Get Rid of in a Garage?

Start with the easy stuff:

•      Broken tools you're not going to repair

•      Empty boxes

•      Trash

•      Unwanted furniture

•      Outgrown sports equipment

•      Duplicate tools

•      Dried-up or unusable products

•      Abandoned hobbies

•      Household items nobody wants

•      Things you've replaced

•      Items that belong somewhere else

Then there's the "I might need this someday" pile. For each item, ask:

•      When did I last use this?

•      How likely am I to need it?

•      Could I easily borrow or replace it?

•      How much space is it taking up?

•      Is it still usable?

•      Would I buy it today if I didn't already own it?

You don't have to get rid of every backup. But "maybe someday" shouldn't get more room than the car. You're saving it for Future You, and Future You has other plans.

Don't Empty the Entire Garage at Once

The dramatic garage cleanout usually goes like this:

•      Remove everything.

•      Cover the driveway.

•      Become exhausted.

•      Realize it's getting dark.

•      Put everything back.

Instead, work in sections, and finish each one before you start the next:

1.     One shelving unit.

2.     One wall.

3.     One workbench.

4.     Sports equipment.

5.     Gardening supplies.

6.     The area around the garage door.

7.     One mysterious pile you've been pretending isn't there.

How to Clean a Garage

Once a section is decluttered, clean it from top to bottom:

•      Knock down cobwebs

•      Dust shelves and the tops of cabinets

•      Sweep

•      Vacuum corners, shelves and window sills

•      Wipe down storage bins

•      Clean up spills

•      Wipe doors, handles and the garage-door button

•      Clean the windows, if you have them

•      Finish with the floor

Your garage doesn't need to be spotless. It just needs to be clean enough that you're not tracking it into the house.

How to Clean a Garage Floor

Sweep or vacuum first, before you bring out water or cleaners. Otherwise you're just making mud.

Then figure out what you're working with. Bare concrete, sealed concrete and epoxy coatings each need a different cleaner, and so do oil, rust and paint stains. Check the label before you scrub.

Don't hose oil, antifreeze or chemicals down the driveway and into the storm drain. Soak them up with kitty litter or an absorbent, then sweep it up and dispose of it the way your city says to.

Get Garage Clutter Off the Floor

The floor is where garage clutter breeds. Sturdy, lidded bins corral loose items so you can actually see the floor again, and maybe even park on it.

Garage Storage Solutions →

Shop Baskets, Bins & Storage→

Create Garage Storage Zones

Group like with like, and give each group its own zone.

Tools Hand tools, power tools, hardware and project supplies, ideally near a work surface.

Gardening Shovels, rakes, hoses, pots and fertilizer, close to the door to the yard.

Sports Balls, bats, rackets and gear bags, low and easy for kids to reach.

Bikes Bikes, helmets and pumps in one spot near the garage door.

Automotive Wiper fluid, motor oil and car-care supplies near the parking space.

Seasonal Holiday decorations and off-season gear on high shelves or in the back.

Household overflow Paper towels, bulk buys and extra supplies, near the door into the house.

Garage Storage Systems →

Use Garage Walls Before Filling the Floor

Floor space is precious, especially if you want to park. Your walls aren't, so use them for:

•      Tools

•      Bicycles

•      Garden equipment

•      Folding chairs

•      Sports equipment

•      Ladders

•      Frequently used supplies

Pegboard, slatwall, hooks and rails hold a surprising amount and keep it all in sight. Just make sure every hook, rack and shelf is rated for the weight you're hanging, and anchor it into studs.

A bike falling on your windshield is not the organizing win you were hoping for.

Garage Shelving and Cabinets

Open shelves keep things visible. Cabinets hide the clutter you'd rather not look at. Most garages need both.

Leave some empty space for growth, and don't overload the shelves. A full shelf is a shelf that's about to become a pile.

Use Clear Containers and Labels

Label everything. You will not remember what's in the third gray bin from the left. Nobody does.

Be specific. "Camping Stove & Lantern" beats "Outdoor Stuff." And skip "Misc." entirely. "Miscellaneous" isn't really a category. It's where decisions go to hide.

Choose containers for the job they're doing, not for how they'll look on Instagram.

Garage Storage No-No's → (garage-storage-no-nos.html)

Store Frequently Used Things Where You Can Reach Them

The things you grab every week go at waist-to-shoulder height near the door. Holiday decorations and the camping gear you use once a summer can go up high or in the back.

Organize Sports Equipment

Group gear by sport or by family member, using whatever fits what you own:

•      Bins

•      Baskets

•      Racks

•      Hooks

•      Shelves

•      Ball storage

Keep the system simple enough that your kids can put things away themselves. If it takes an adult and a step stool, it isn't going to happen.

Organize Bikes and Outdoor Gear

Every bike needs a designated spot that the person who rides it can actually manage:

•  Floor racks

• Wall-mounted racks

• Ceiling hoists (for adults, and for bikes that don't get ridden daily)
  

Keep helmets, pumps and locks right next to the bikes, so nobody's searching the house for a helmet while their friends wait at the curb.

Organize Tools and DIY Supplies

You don't need a full workshop to keep tools under control. Just group them:

•      Hand tools

•      Power tools

•      Hardware

•      Electrical supplies

•      Painting supplies

•      Project materials

Get rid of the duplicates and the broken ones, and label small hardware drawers clearly. Nothing makes a ten-minute household repair more exciting than spending forty minutes searching for the correct screw.

Be Careful With Garage Chemicals

The garage is where many of us keep the most dangerous products in the house:

•      Paint

•      Solvents

•      Automotive products

•      Pesticides

•      Fertilizers

•      Pool chemicals

•      Cleaning products

•      Fuels and other flammables

Follow the storage directions on each label. Garages get hot and cold, and many products don't like either.

Keep hazardous items on high shelves or in a locked cabinet, away from kids and pets. When something's expired or no longer needed, take it to your local hazardous-waste drop-off.

Safe at Home → 

What Shouldn't Be Stored in the Garage?

Heat, cold, humidity and pests are tough on belongings. Think twice before storing:

•      Important documents

•      Irreplaceable photographs

•      Delicate fabrics

•      Electronics

•      Paints and chemicals that need to stay above freezing

•      Anything that's damaged by moisture

•      Food that attracts pests or spoils in the heat

•      Other temperature-sensitive possessions

If you're planning long-term storage, check how hot, cold and damp your garage really gets first.

Garage Storage No-No's →

Holiday and Seasonal Storage

•      Group items by holiday or season.

•      Label containers clearly.

•      Keep related items together, so the lights are in the same bin as the extension cords.

And declutter as you pack up each year. If you didn't put it out this season, you probably won't next season either.

How to Organize Storage →

Create a Garage Drop Zone

If you come into the house through the garage, that's where your entryway clutter starts. Set up a small drop zone for:

•      Backpacks

•      Shoes

•      Sports bags

•      Umbrellas

•      Jackets

•      Reusable shopping bags

Give it hooks, shoe storage, baskets, a shelf and a spot for sports bags. Keep it small and give it firm boundaries, or it'll quietly take over the whole wall.

Entryway Organizing Tips →

Garage Chores for Kids

Kids can help, and they should. Give them jobs that match their age:

•      Putting sports equipment away

•      Returning outdoor toys

•      Sweeping clear areas of the floor

•      Carrying safe items to where they belong

•      Helping sort family belongings

•      Keeping their own gear organized

Safety comes first, though. Keep kids away from power tools, chemicals, sharp tools and anything stacked high, and stay close by while they work.

Garage Kids' Chores by Age →

Garage Cleaning With Kids →

Make Room for the Car

Measure your car, then mark off the space it needs, plus room to open the doors. That zone is the car's. Nothing gets stored there permanently. Not the recycling, not the bikes, not "just for now."

Your garage should support your life, not test your obstacle-course skills.

Family Car Cleaning & Organization →

Common Garage Organizing Mistakes

Buying storage before decluttering

You'll buy bins for things you're about to get rid of.

Moving everything onto the driveway

See: Become exhausted. Realize it's getting dark.

Keeping too much "just in case"

The garage shouldn't become a fulfillment center for a business you're not actually running.

Creating complicated storage systems

If it takes more than one step to put something away, it won't get put away.

Ignoring vertical space

The walls are free real estate. Use them.

Filling every shelf

Leave room for the things your family hasn't bought yet. (They will.)

Storing things the garage may damage

Photos, papers and electronics belong inside the house.

Making a donation pile and leaving it there

It isn't donated until it leaves the property.

A Simple Garage Maintenance Routine

Weekly

•      Take out the trash

•      Put sports equipment away

•      Return tools

•      Bring household items inside

•      Clear the parking area

Monthly

Check and tidy:

•      Floors

•      Work surfaces

•      Recycling

•      Donation items

•      Supplies piling up where they shouldn't

Seasonally

Review:

•      Seasonal equipment

•      Sports gear

•      Gardening supplies

•      Holiday storage

•      Unfinished projects

•      Items to donate or sell

A few minutes a week is a lot easier than another all-day cleanout.

How to Keep the Garage Organized

Watch what comes in. Before anything goes into the garage, ask why it's going there. Is that where it belongs, or is that just where decisions get postponed?

Make the decision now. Future You will thank you, even if Future You still has other plans.

Garage Organizing FAQ

How do I start organizing a garage that's packed? Pick one section, like one shelf, one wall or one corner. Declutter it, clean it, organize it and finish it before you move on. Don't empty the whole garage at once.

What's the best way to clean a garage floor? Sweep or vacuum first. Then use a cleaner made for your floor type, whether that's bare concrete, sealed concrete or epoxy. Soak up oil stains with kitty litter before you scrub, and keep fluids out of the storm drain.

What should you not store in a garage? Important papers, photos, delicate fabrics, electronics, food and anything that's damaged by heat, cold or moisture. Many paints and chemicals also need to stay above freezing.

How do I make room to park in my garage? Measure the car, mark off its space plus room to open the doors, and move storage onto the walls and shelves. Nothing lives in the car zone.

How often should I clean out the garage? Take a few minutes each week, do a quick tidy each month and do a bigger reset each season. Do that and you'll rarely need an all-day cleanout.

Want Help With the Rest of the House?

The garage is usually where a lifetime of stuff ends up. My book Room by Room: How to Declutter a Lifetime of Stuff and Get Your Space Back helps you decide what to keep, what to let go and how to get your space back, garage included.

And The Daily Home Reset gives you a 15-minute daily routine that keeps clutter from piling up in the first place.

Keep Going

Once the garage is under control, keep the momentum going with these related guides:

•      How to Organize Your Home Room by Room: Simple systems for every room, from the front door to the closets.

•      How to Declutter Your Home: Let go of what you don't need, without the guilt.

•      How to Organize Storage: Make the most of closets, attics and every hidden corner.

•      Easy House Cleaning Tips: Faster, smarter ways to keep the whole house clean.

•      Family Car Cleaning & Organization: Now that it fits in the garage, clean out the car itself.

•      Backyard Family Living: Make your outdoor space work for kids, pets and grown-ups.

•      Simplify Family Life at Home: Chores, routines and kid-friendly systems that make every day easier.

•      Safe at Home: Practical safety tips for every room, garage included.