Ruthlessly Restore Order in Your Messy Garage With a Quick Trick That Clears Winter Mess With Ease
Don't leave it until spring
Over winter, our garages can become storage dumping grounds, offering the perfect out-of-sight storage for decorations, winter gear, and items we swear we will 'deal with later', leaving the space cluttered and chaotic.
Rather than leaving it all until spring and ending up overwhelmed, experts suggest using this one cleaning tip in January to quickly reassert some order.
How to Quickly Tidy a Garage in January
While it is tempting to leave organizing a garage until spring, when the weather warms up a little bit, that is a time that often focuses on spring cleaning the rest of your home. Plus, leaving it a mess for the next few months is a surefire way for it to get worse or attract indoor pests as biting temperatures send them scampering indoors for shelter.
That is why it is so important to set some time aside to declutter a garage in January, when we have a slightly clearer to-do list now that winterizing tasks are complete, and we have some downtime before spring.
To start tidying when you feel overwhelmed, Professional organizer Ashley Wynn, owner of Outstanding Organizers, suggests sticking to a clear-floor policy.
She explains, 'The biggest tip I share for a garage that’s turned into a winter dumping ground is to start by reclaiming the floor. When everything is on the ground, the space feels instantly overwhelming, even if there isn’t that much stuff.
'I recommend pulling everything just a few feet away from the walls and doing a quick sort: Keep, donate, trash. If someone is feeling overwhelmed, I tell them not to aim for a perfect system right away.
'Focus on creating zones first, such as sports gear, tools, seasonal items, and donations, to help you decide what to declutter. Tidying a garage is much easier when everything has a general “home,” even if it’s not pretty yet.'
Targeting smaller zones is one of the things professional organizers always do in January to streamline their own homes without stress.
use vertical storage to keep your garage floor clear.
The number one golden rule for a clutter-free garage is to invest in smart storage ideas to keep itemsoff the floor in the future, Ashley continues. This means smart use of vertical storage to save space.
'Get items up off the floor as soon as possible,' she urges. 'Even temporary shelving [from Wayfair] or wall hooks [such as these heavy-duty utility hooks from Walmart] can make a huge difference. Once the floor is clear, the garage already feels manageable.'
Cathy Orr, co-founder at The Uncluttered Life, adds, 'Lastly, when storing items, label the outside of boxes or tubs. If you store overhead on wire racks, label both the sides and the bottom of the container so you can see what you have above.' A label maker, from Walmart, makes this quick and uniform.
'Garages are hard because a lot of things in the garage are heavy to lift and move,' Cathy reminds us. For this reason, consider working with a friend or family member to avoid injury. When putting items back, keep heavier items at the bottom of shelving units or on the floor against a wall for safety. 'And stay hydrated in the entire decluttering and organizing process,' she adds. 'It’s a lot of work to declutter and organize a garage.'
What to Shop
Designed for professional-grade use, this shelving unit is easy to assemble with no tools required. The adjustable shelf height allows you to customize the unit to fit your specific storage needs, while anti-tipping measures ensure stability and safety, even for heavy items.
With snap on lids and heavy duty plastic siding, these stacking storage totes are ideal for garages, protecting items from moisture, dust, and pests while preventing mold and saving space.
Label bins with a label maker to ensure each label is legible and uniform and later on, when you are searching for an item you seldom use, you won't have to move around all of your bins and storage items to find what you need.
Vacuum storage bags are ideal for seasonal storage, keeping clothes and household linens safe from pests and moisture, without them taking up valuable storage real estate, especially in damp-prone storage such as garages.
These non-toxic all all-natural scent plug-ins don't just make your garage smell nice; reviews say that the strong peppermint scent also helps to keep common pests such as mice and squirrels out of their homes.
Cedar blocks are another great non-toxic, all-natural cent deterrent that you can add to your garage storage to keep flying insects such as moths away from your belongings, too.
Meet the Experts
Ashley is the founder of Outstanding Organizers, an Atlanta-based organizing and decluttering company. With over five years of experience, she helps busy families and professionals reduce overwhelm by creating simple, sustainable systems for their homes and workplaces. She also leads workshops that speak on decluttering, time management, and mental clarity, helping people reclaim their time, space, and peace of mind.
Cathy is a cofounder of The Uncluttered Life and the Declutter Deck, recently featured in FabFitFun. She is also a certified master in the KonMari method.
Prevention is always better than the cure, that's what pro organizers have shared their best tips for stopping clutter before it starts to avoid tough decluttering sessions again down the line.
