If you are a homeowner lucky enough to have a garage, chances are that you’re not only using it for cars, but also for storage. Over the years, box after box, space becomes limited and you wonder how in the world you’ve accumulated all this stuff! Now is a good time to sort that out and clear out the clutter and establish some designated spaces so you can enjoy your new and improved garage for seasons to come.

Here are 10 tips guaranteed to help you create some space and love your garage again!

1. Invest in a bike storage rack or store bikes on hefty steel hooks to get larger, bulkier items out of the way.
2. Create a pegboard wall to store your tools to keep everything in its place.
3. Have a garage sale, recycle or donate any old toys, tools, seasonal items, clothes or other items you haven’t used or your kids have outgrown.
4. Store smaller items and miscellaneous stuff in stackable, plastic bins with covers. Garages are often damp making cardboard boxes not ideal for storing items. Cardboard is also used by rats and mice to make nests. Let’s not give these creepy pests a reason to make themselves at home in your space.
5. Get vertical hanging organizers and hooks to store rakes, shovels, brooms and ladders.
6. Sweep out the garage floor and safely dispose of anything toxic.
7. Check your garage for mold. If you do find mold, mix four litres of water with one cup of bleach and use a sponge to apply to the walls. Be careful and wear gloves.
8. If your garage floor has oil marks from your car, clean it laundry detergent mixed with warm or hot water (one-third a cup of detergent for each litre of water) if the stains are small. For larger stains use the detergent mix first, but a thin layer of kitty litter (it helps to draw the oil out of the floor) should be left on the stain overnight. Be sure the litter is ground into the stain really well. The next day, sweep it up and rinse the floor with your water hose after.
9. Clean garage window sills and cobwebs with a vacuum.
10. Put up some shelving units to store items off the ground to create a more organized space.

Do you have any tips to help organize your garage space? We would love to hear from you.