How to Keep a Clean and Organized Garage (6 Easy Tips)

Have you ever been surprised by how many people don’t park their cars in the garage? Instead of having an organized garage with space for a car, people often fill their garage with stuff.

If you have too much stuff it’s easy to fall into the trap of storing it all in the garage. While I think there is definitely a good reason to store things in the garage, if it’s just unorganized junk is it really worth the space it’s taking to store it?

For most people, the cars they park in the driveway because there isn’t space in the garage, are worth more than the stuff they are storing.

I think it’s a smart and good thing to store things you use frequently or will for sure be using again. But if you’re like me there are also times when things get stored for years that you will never use again.

Reasons to Park the Car in the Garage

There are so many reasons to park your car in the garage. For most of us, our cars are one of the most expensive items we own. Here are just 3 of the many reasons you might want to make being able to park in the garage a priority.

#1 The Weather

One of my favorite things about parking a car in the garage is that when you get in the vehicle the temperature isn’t as bad. It’s not as hot in the summer or as cold in the winter. This makes getting into the car more comfortable.

It’s also good for the car not to experience extreme temperature changes. If you have leather seats you will definitely notice a difference from having your car sit in the hot sun.

#2 Protect Something With Value

Unless you’re storing valuables in the garage, chances are your car is worth a lot more than the random stuff being stored in the garage.

Parking a car in the garage protects it from the weather as well as other hazards such as bikes, flying footballs, basketballs, etc. At our house, it also protects the car from the kid’s rocks, chalk, and plastic shovels.

#3 Keeps the Car Clean

Parking in the garage helps keep the exterior of your car clean. In the winter it helps protect from salt and snow. In the spring and summer parking, your car in the garage protects it from dust and pollen. (If you’re on the east coast you know how pollen can cover everything!!)

How to Clean and Organize The Garage

There are multiple ways to keep a garage clean and organized, but I wanted to share what’s worked best for us.

1. Get Rid of the Garbage

I’m often surprised by how much junk and garbage gets missed in the garage. By simply getting rid of the empty boxes, cans, and broken items in the garage you might be surprised with how much more space you already have.

I was shocked at how much random stuff we accumulated in just a few short months in our garage. Empty boxes and broken toys were taking up so much space.

2. Sell or Toss Things you don’t Need or Want

The garage often becomes the catch-all for things we don’t know what to do with. If it’s been sitting in the garage for the past year or more and you haven’t touched it do you really need it?

I understand some tools don’t get used very often but they are good to have and emergency items also might be in the garage. I’m not suggesting you get rid of these items.

Examples of items we have been storing in the garage but should have gotten rid of instead include furniture we might want someday, broken things we are going to fix, and unused or outgrown equipment.

If you have things taking up space in the garage you don’t need now might be a great time to try and sell them on the Facebook marketplace or donate them.

Related Post: How to Sell on Facebook Marketplace

3. Utilize Shelving

A garage only has so much space. Typically garages are limited on floor space since you want to park inside them. But don’t forget about the vertical space you have available to organize the garage.

Using shelves can give you so much more space to store things in your garage. I recommend using plastic bins with a tight-fitting lid to organize items you want to store in the garage. Clear plastic bins make it easy to see what is inside each bin.

4. Have a Place for Everything

Have a place for everything in your garage and after you use the item put it back in its correct space. This is the key to keeping a clean and clutter-free garage.

But I’ll be honest for some reason, this is the hardest thing for us to do! So we end up cleaning the garage out at least once a year.

5. Hang Things

Just like with shelving using hooks and hanging storage can give you so much more space in the garage.

Bikes are so fun to ride but such a pain to store. Getting hooks and hanging your bikes on the walls of the garage will keep your garage feeling so much cleaner and more organized.

You can also hang extension cords, snow shovels, some strollers, and so much more.

6. Sweep Regularly

Lastly regularly sweeping out the rocks, leaves, and bugs that can collect in the garage is a simple way to keep the garage looking and feeling clean.

Don’t be surprised if you need to spend time cleaning the garage each year. But following these tips should make the time you spend cleaning your garage so much faster.

For more tips check out this post on Redfin From Cluttered to Clean: 9 Garage Cleaning Tips for The Overwhelmed.

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