A Great Guide to Declutter and Organize Your Garage
May Home Reset: The Garage
FREE Printable below!
Welcome to my monthly series where we’ll tackle a different space in your home each month to declutter, deep clean, and organize! Follow along with our monthly home resets and in one year, your whole house will be fully decluttered and organized!
Guess what May is?
Declutter and organize your garage month!
Woohoo! Let’s clean out our garage! …said no one ever, at least not enthusiastically.
Yeah, I agree — cleaning out the garage kinda sucks.
My husband and I declutter and organize the garage once a year, but to keep it from turning into a dumping ground, we’ve found that occasional quick cleanups throughout the year make a big difference. So whether you need to perform a garage tune-up or a full cleaning, I’ve got you covered.
I’m going to be very honest… I have a tendency to let things get out of hand in the garage.
You know what I’m talking about, right?
It’s just so easy to set stuff out there when you want to quickly get it out of the house! And then pretty soon, the entire house is cleaned out but the garage looks like a game of Tetris, without all the pretty colors! When there’s not enough space to get to a specific item that you need or you can’t remember the last time you saw the garage walls, it’s a good time to set aside time to get your garage organized and back in good condition!
If you need to declutter and organize your garage (and who doesn’t?!), then let’s do this together!
What About Landfill Guilt?
One thing I want to touch on first: If you feel guilty about throwing things away, you’re not alone. Many people hold onto broken, outdated, or unusable items because they don’t want to contribute to growing landfills. It comes from a place of caring — I get it.
But here’s the truth we all need to grasp: keeping piles of broken or unusable stuff in your garage doesn’t undo the waste. It just shifts the burden into your personal space, creating clutter, stress, and sometimes even safety hazards. A cluttered garage filled with junk doesn’t serve you, your family, or the environment.
If you have several broken items awaiting repair, ask yourself this: If you haven’t repaired it by now, are you really going to? Be honest. Most of us hold onto items with the best intentions, but when months or even years go by, it’s time to accept that the item has served its purpose — and keeping it won’t change its fate.
The best way to move forward is with a mindset shift:
- Donate what still works. Many items that no longer serve you might still be useful to someone else. Try local donation centers, the Salvation Army, thrift stores, or community groups before tossing them.
- Recycle responsibly. Look for recycling programs in your area for electronics, old paint cans, cardboard boxes, and hazardous materials.
- Trash what’s truly trash. Broken tools, damaged furniture, and unusable items need to go! Hanging onto them doesn’t help the planet — it just delays the inevitable and costs you your functional space.
The good news? Clearing out the junk now creates space for better storage solutions, a cleaner home, and a clearer mind. It also gives you a better sense of what you actually own and use, so you’re less likely to overbuy in the future, and that’s a great way to reduce long-term waste.
Give yourself grace. Letting go of unusable items isn’t wasteful — it’s responsible.
Let your newly cleaned out space be a reminder to be more intentional about what you bring back into it. Don’t buy things you don’t need because they’re on sale or because someone in your life can use it. That’s a mindset loop trap! Be intentional about everything you buy, bring into your home, and anything offered to you for free. Just because it’s useful to someone, doesn’t mean it’s useful to you!
Declutter, Clean and Organize the Garage
1. Have a Clear Idea of What You Want From Your Space
Before we start tossing things, take a minute and picture what you want your garage to be.
Is it a spot to park your car (crazy talk, I know!)?
Do you want room to work on DIY projects?
Or maybe store sports equipment without tripping over it?
Here are some of the things I knew we needed from our garage:
- Storage space for holiday decorations and other seasonal items
- Our built-in open shelves to be used for household items such as extra garbage bags, pool care stuff, extra light bulbs, painting supplies, mop bucket and Little Green Cleaning Machine
- I wanted to make great use of vertical space and hang up mops, brooms and dusters to have those things within easy reach.
- Yard tools and gardening equipment
- Easy access to tools and automotive care items
- A place for various power tools
- Free-standing shelves for Costco sized packages of paper towels, toilet paper, tissue boxes, horse supplements
- Golf gear and other recreational equipment
Our garage has A LOT of functions!! Knowing what you want your space to do will make your decisions so much easier. And if a specific item doesn’t support that vision, it probably doesn’t need to stay.
2. Gather Your Supplies First
Once you start to declutter and organize your garage, it gets messy fast — so be ready! Here’s what I recommend having on hand:
- Heavy Duty Trash bags (you’ll need more than you think)
- Broom, dustpan, mop, and/or shop vac
- Storage bins or totes
- Labels (or these labels for the ultra-organized) and a permanent marker
- Gloves (because… eww)
- Cleaning spray or disinfectant wipes
- A donation bin or box
Trust me, having it all ready makes a huge difference when you’re in the zone.
3. Pull Everything Out
WAIT!
First, decide if you’re going to clean out the entire garage or just a specific section to start with.
Then pull everything out of that space.
Yes — everything.
This is the part where it feels like the mess got worse before it gets better. (At least that’s how I feel). But pulling it all out gives you a clear view of what you’re working with and how much space you actually have. You’ll be far less likely to overlook things that need to be dealt with!
If your garage is too overwhelming to clean out all at once, tackle one section every weekend in May.
Clearing everything out also gives you a chance to wipe down shelves, sweep corners, and evict any spiders or critters who’ve taken up residence.
4. Sort It All Out
Here’s a helpful guide to different decluttering methods.
Use four different piles:
- Keep
- Donate
- Deferred Decisions
- Trash
You’ll want to make fairly quick decisions here. If you’re unsure, consider these questions:
- Have I used it in the past year?
- Is this something I truly enjoy using or having?
- Could I borrow this from a friend if needed?
- Am I storing this for a project I haven’t touched in six months?
- Would I buy this again today?
These questions help you move faster through the easier stuff.
If you haven’t used it in a year — be honest with yourself — do you really need it?
Have the trash bin nearby and throw away trash directly into the bin. Chances are good that you’ll run out of space in your garbage can if you haven’t decluttered your garage in a while so be sure to have plenty of large, heavy duty trash bags around so you can either take garbage to the dump after your done or throw away a couple of bags a week until you get rid of all of it.
Deferred Decisions: For Emergency Decision Making Only
When you’re organizing your garage, you’ll definitely run into stuff you’re not ready to part with.
Usually, it’s sentimental things.
Some tough-love advice:
If you tend to collect things you don’t need because of sentimental feelings, it’s time to get real. Don’t save it for other people — if they wanted it, they would have taken it already. Don’t save it “for someday.” That thinking leads to a lot of clutter and wasted space!
That end table Grandma loved? If it doesn’t match your style, you’ll never use it. Better to give it to someone who will love and use it — Granny wouldn’t want it rotting in your garage forever or becoming a burden to you.
If you don’t have a specific need for it, it’s time to let it go. For those things you absolutely can’t decide on…..
Create a Deferred Decisions Box.
If you’re really and truly stuck, toss it in the box and move on. Come back to it once the main decluttering is done and your mind is clearer.
This technique helped me so much! Over the years, my “deferred” items have shrunk down to almost nothing. And honestly? My garage and home function so much better now — even with a few “undecided” things still hanging around.
5. Deep Clean the Garage
Now’s your chance to really clean the space. Sweep out every corner, mop if needed (or hose it down if your garage allows for that), and wipe off shelves, bins, or tools. Also, take a quick look around for any signs of water damage, pests, or mold. You don’t want to organize only to find an issue later.
If you decide painting your garage is in order, now’s the time to give it a fresh coat of paint — while it’s empty!
6. Organize with Intention
Group Similar Items Together
As you bring items back in, group them by category: gardening tools, holiday decor, sports gear, car supplies, etc.
Simple Garage Organization Ideas
- Clear Storage Bins (if you like to see what’s in the bin)
- Solid Colored Storage Bins (if you like a less-cluttered look)
- Free-Standing Heavy Duty Shelves
- Tall Cabinets
- Locking Cabinets (especially handy if you have unsafe materials you want to keep away from children)
- Tool/Work Bench
- Small Drawers for screws, nails and other small items that can get easily misplaced or lost.
- Peg Board
- Hanging Wall System
- Wall hooks
- Overhead Storage Racks (if you have high ceilings)
Some people like using clear plastic bins so they can see what’s inside. Personally, I prefer solid-colored bins because they look neater and less cluttered. What about you?
Choose whatever fits your style, but either way, be sure to label everything clearly! Labels help you and everyone else in the family remember where stuff is stored and what’s inside each bin so you only have to pull out the one you need.
7. Properly Dispose of the Clutter
During the decluttering process, it’s a good idea to find out where to take hazardous materials such as old paint cans, unused or unwanted cleaning supplies, chemicals and batteries to dispose of safely. Don’t let not knowing the proper place to dispose of things be a reason to put off decluttering and organizing your garage.
For the things you’re not keeping, make a plan to get them out quickly. Schedule a donation pickup or drop off, drop off at a recycling center, thrift store, or host a quick garage sale (only if you won’t be tempted to keep things!).
Be sure to dispose of any paint, chemicals, or batteries safely—check your city’s guidelines for hazardous waste disposal.
8. Keep It Tidy
The best part? Once you declutter and organize your garage, it’s so much easier to maintain. Set a reminder to do a quick sweep of the garage floor each month—check for anything out of place and tidy up before it gets out of control again.
You can grab the free printable May Home Reset Checklist. It’s easiest to get started by simply going through a checklist….complete the first task and move to the second, no overthinking allowed!
You’ve got this. Your garage is about to become one of the most functional (and maybe even favorite?) spaces in your home. Let’s go declutter and organize your garage!
✅ Don’t forget to download your FREE May Garage Reset Printable to keep you on track!
