This is a perfect time of year to clean out the garage, organize your stuff and find room in the garage for the car.Take all the bigger items out of the garage like the car, lawnmower, motorcycle, bikes, strollers, etc.Group the remaining items together in piles or in bins, or in large garbage cans. Group by categories like, sporting goods, yard tools, gardening items, larger tools and hand tools, car accessories, cleaning supplies, boots, shoes and clothing items.Look at what else you have left in the garage that is not already in one of the groups. Create a group if there are more than a few different items or try to fit them in an existing category or group. If you haven't used it in the past year, donate it or throw it away.Once the garage is cleared out, sweep it out and hose it down if necessary. Now, it is time to start thinking of ways to use the space.Do you have wall space where you can put up hooks to hang things?Do you have space where you can put up shelving?Try to envision areas of the garage that you can use for specific purposes.Sporting goods, tools, yard items, car items and cleaning items can all have their designated area.These areas can be on a shelf or in bins together or hung up together.Now you can start putting things away in the garage using organizers that hang on the wall, large bins, large garbage cans and shelving.Near a workbench or a table, put your small tools. Put power tools or sharp tools up on top shelves.Hang yard tools or put in them in a large garbage can. Keep car-cleaning supplies together on one shelf along with the oil, windshield washer and other car fluids. Car accessories can go together in a bin on a shelf. On a bottom shelf or on a boot tray on the floor near the door, put the boots, shoes and umbrellas together and hang any coats nearby.Finally, pull the car in the garage.Does everything now have a place? Do you know where things go? April Reible lives in Valencia and has a small business called Clutter Free that specializes in decluttering, organizing homes and office and home staging. To contact her, email clutterfree@zoominternet.net .

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