All too often, the garage is a catch-all place, so much so that it can get to the point where there’s no room to park a car. Garage owners figure that no one has to see the garage but them, after all. Yet, a cluttered and disorganized garage can nag at the psyche. The best thing is to take some time and spring clean the garage like every other part of the house. Here are some ideas.

Figure Out Organization Plan

Draw a floor plan of your garage on graph paper, write down its dimensions, and note where all the doors, electrical receptacles, light switches and windows are located. Don’t forget to leave enough room for your car. DIYS.com advises to store like items together, such as gardening tools. Things that you use a lot should be stored near the garage door, and rarely used items should be put in areas that are hardest to reach. Invest in storage bins and lockable cabinets if you have hazardous items you want to protect kids or pets from. Other useful items for organizing include open shelves, vertical organizing systems, and pegboards.

Making the Garage More Habitable

Lots of homeowners don’t have insulated garages, which is fine for many people who don’t really hang out in their garage. But, if your garage is also a workshop, you’ll need to make it more habitable. You might want to connect the garage up to the house’s central heating or bring in space heaters when you have work to do. You’ll also want to make sure that the garage’s windows and doors are sound. Howell Door advises that you should be inspecting the doors every six months and replacing anything broken or worn.

Get Rid of What You Don’t Need

Getting rid of stuff you no longer need or use can be both fun and a bit painful. Sort everything into keep, donate, and sell piles, and put them out on the driveway in designated areas. Bring everything you’ve decided to keep back into the garage, and quickly sell, donate, or toss the other stuff. A good rule of thumb if you want an uncluttered garage is, “When in doubt, throw it out!”

With these ideas in mind, you should be able to organize your garage over a weekend or two. Consider how good it will feel to walk into your garage when everything’s done and you have a place for everything, and everything is in its place.