Your Guide to a Spotless, Beautifully Organized Home

Ready to reclaim some space in your garage? This plan can help. Get help deciding what to keep and what to toss, learn the best methods for cleaning up oil stains and — once you’ve cleared and cleaned — make your own storage map, so you never have trouble finding what you need again.

Getting started: Take a moment to set up several areas for hazardous waste, garbage, recycling, things to donate, things to sell and things to keep. Rent a Dumpster if you need it, but keep in mind that you should be able to recycle, donate or sell most of what you no longer want or need.

Once you have your zones in place, begin pulling things out of your garage and sorting them. (Don’t try to sort stuff in your garage — you won’t be able to really clean or organize your garage if you try to sort it in place.)

What to keep:

• Important memorabilia
• Things you have used within the past 12 months
• Things you have a definite plan to use in the near future (such as workout gear you forgot you owned)
• Spare materials for your home, such as paint and tile

Get rid of everything else.

Get the 7-day plan

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